Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 52: Operation Exercise

At this point, Shu Jun had grown accustomed to seeing the ‘other self’ in his dreams—strictly speaking, it was a disguise of ‘a part of Sigma’ pretending to be him.

This time, the dream scene changed, and the spacious apartment turned into the small apartment where he had lived in his childhood. Outside the window was a void of pitch-black darkness, and Sigma stood silently at the door, still wearing its terrifying appearance.

Shu Jun glanced at it, too lazy to speak, treating it as a strangely aesthetic modern decoration.

Soon, he nostalgically wandered around the apartment, with shadows of the past everywhere—he and another child ran around the room, sharing snacks based on the results of their races, lying together on the balcony to feel the breeze, or making a mess of the furniture to build an unconventional secret base. Two small pots of bellflowers squeezed into a corner, full of vitality. Looking back now, he had indeed been taking care of them since then.

This narrow apartment had never made him feel so special. Looking back now, perhaps Smoke was the only true thing from his childhood.

Sighing, Shu Jun sat on the sofa. In his memory, the sofa had always been large. He remembered it clearly—one night, they were both tired from playing and didn’t want to set up the bed, so they squeezed onto the sofa and spent the night together. When they woke up the next day, Smoke’s head was resting on his chest, sleeping soundly.

Now, as he sat on it again, it felt fragile and cramped.

Despite knowing it was a dream, Shu Jun’s gaze softened.

Sigma at the door: “…”

It had intended to bring some excitement, but who would have thought that Shu Jun would start reminiscing instead? Unwilling to be ignored, it spread its erosion. Blood-red, foul-smelling threads started crawling along the floor. Shu Jun let those threads entangle him, enduring the negative emotions transmitted through them without changing his expression.

Early adaptation was for the best; the real Sigma would only become stronger. Looking at it from another perspective, as long as his will remained firm enough, this was a good opportunity for practice.

Soaked in negative emotions throughout the night, Shu Jun woke up the next day feeling like he had been marinating in them.

He even smelled his own arm to make sure that the putrid stench didn’t exist in reality. Zhu Yanchen, as usual, had gotten up early and was working at the desk. Shu Jun jumped off the bed and only then realized that warm water for washing up was already prepared and the toothbrush cup was in its most convenient spot.

After a night of accumulating negative emotions, most of it dissipated instantly at this moment. Shu Jun turned his head—Marshal Zhu was sitting at the desk; his hands had already recovered, and his beautiful fingers slid across the screen. Sensing Shu Jun’s gaze, Zhu Yanchen turned his head, visibly softening his expression.

The two locked eyes for a moment, and Shu Jun felt an inexplicable sense of warmth in the air.

He raised the corners of his mouth, raised the rinsing cup toward Zhu Yanchen, and made a toasting gesture. The latter chuckled, turned his head, and continued with his work.

“I’ve figured it out,” Ai Xiaoxiao declared during breakfast.

Shu Jun was eating a steamed bun when he heard that and nearly choked on it. “Really?!”

Ai Xiaoxiao slowly turned towards him, her gaze scanning him up and down with a complex mix of emotions. Shu Jun felt uncomfortable under her scrutiny and rubbed his cheek. “The medicine was made so quickly. Dr. Ai is truly impressive…”

“No need to flatter.” Ai Xiaoxiao continued staring at Shu Jun, her tone peculiar. “It was inspired by Zhu Yanchen.”

Zhu Yanchen calmly drank his porridge, lifting the bowl to cover most of his face.

“I won’t be able to make any medicine in the short term. The efficacy verification and mass production will both take time. It was fine before, but now that Luo Duan has run away, by the time this medicine is ready, the daylilies will have frozen into popsicles*.”

*Metaphor referring to something that will take an extremely long time to happen or be accomplished.

When it came to business matters, Ai Xiaoxiao was always efficient.

“So, I’ve decided to take inspiration from Zhu Yanchen’s approach—combining drug control with the use of erosion. It may be less efficient but more reliable in terms of safety.”

“Erosion surgery?” Shu Jun paused with his chopsticks in midair.

“Yes. Sigma asked Luo Duan to erode the brain control in order to obtain its characteristics and remove the shock in the brain… I thought, hasn’t your erosion also nibbled on brain fragments? They should recognize the taste.”

“So?” Shu Jun took a small bite of the steamed bun.

“So, you can use erosion to infiltrate a player’s body and accurately erode that part of the brain, similar to Sigma’s approach.”

Shu Jun’s expression changed. “That’s impossible; their bodies can’t handle it.”

“That’s where the drug control comes in.” Ai Xiaoxiao tapped her tea egg. “I happen to have a type of medicine that has excellent purification effects, but it’s too damaging to the body. Humans use it as a last resort, equivalent to choosing a slow death instead of a disease, enduring ten times the suffering, and only living two more days… But for a synthetic human, short-term use won’t be a problem.”

“How did you get this kind of medicine?” Shu Jun frowned.

Ai’s Clinic didn’t discriminate against customers, but human clients were the majority. Developing new medicines was incredibly difficult, and even if they specialized in making money from synthetic humans, short-term use wouldn’t solve the fundamental problem and had no future prospects.

“Someone paid a hefty sum for a custom order, and I stumbled upon it*.” Ai Xiaoxiao glanced at Zhu Yanchen with a half-smile. “Don’t worry, I’ve conducted human experiments for fifteen years, so I know the effectiveness. Unfortunately, there’s only one fool who would choose a slow death. Otherwise, the data would be more accurate.”

*Unintentionally inserting a willow (无心插柳柳成荫) Idiom referring to a situation where someone achieves or receives recognition or success without actively seeking it. It implies that a person’s achievement or success happened inadvertently without deliberate effort. It comes from a story from the Spring and Autumn period in Chinese history where a man carved his name in a willow tree, expressing his feelings of longing for his hometown. Unexpectedly, this carving became famous, leaving behind his legacy.

Shu Jun looked at Zhu Yanchen beside him. “Is that medicine a canned milky-white powder that can be used directly on an Erosion Swamp?”

That was the weapon Zhu Yanchen had used to attack Sweet Edge’s temple. At the time, Shu Jun had been curious—usually, weapons with strong killing power wouldn’t be so crude. Now it seemed those cans weren’t weapon casings at all; they were innocent medicine bottles.

“Surname Zhu, do you have any idea how much one canister of medicine costs?! I worked so hard to prepare it for you, and you use it against an Erosion Swamp?!” Ai Xiaoxiao lamented with a pained expression.

“Ai Xiaoxiao.” Zhu Yanchen warned in a low voice. “Stick to business.”

“Huh? I think she’s talking about something important,” Shu Jun interjected. “Miss Ai, please continue.”

“In short, I have this medicine. You perform the surgery using the erosion substance and then immediately have the patient take the medicine to expel it. In theory, it won’t cause much harm—at most some physical weakness, and there won’t be any side effects.”

After all, Ai Xiaoxiao still recognized Zhu Yanchen as her boss and didn’t continue teasing him.

“I have a good amount of the medicine in stock. The problem lies with you. This is considered a surgery, and if you tremble too much, you might end up harming the patient’s brain. Later, I’ll give you a mannequin. If you can make the erosion substance crawl through specific points, that should be enough.”

According to the intelligence from the Old Fourth, the Blackbirds had returned to Y City to hand in their mission completion, while Yu Jin went back to the settlement to collect his reward. Shu Jun brought the mannequin and a large pack of medicine, and he and Zhu Yanchen directly returned to the border settlement.

They returned only after spending a night there, so Yu Jin wasn’t surprised at all.

“I explained to them that you two are my acquaintances and wanted to return to the settlement in advance to spend the night. Anyway, we’re out of the danger zone, and Captain Hu didn’t say anything. He just asked about the identification number of our settlement—Gray Claw, is that someone you know?”

“Yes,” Shu Jun didn’t deny it.

“Ah, that guy’s not bad.” Yu Jin shook his head and glanced questioningly at the mannequin. “I’ve collected your rewards; I’ll give them to you later. Now we’re partners, right? Let me ask directly, are both of you synthetic humans, including Smoke?”

“He is human.” Shu Jun smiled faintly. “How could a synthetic human infiltrate the Old Fourth?”

“That’s true. I was wondering why the Old Fourth put me in charge so quickly. But I can’t understand. Our settlement doesn’t have any proper fighting strength. What benefits can we gain from cooperating with you?”

“I can give you an example now, Mr. Yu,” Zhu Yanchen earnestly stated. “The Old Fourth merchants will have more frequent interactions in the near future. I request that you prepare more supplies in your capacity as the manager. I will provide the list of supplies and the funds, and make sure to keep separate records.”

Yu Jin narrowed his eyes. “From what you’re implying…”

“It’s been unstable lately,” Zhu Yanchen succinctly replied.

“Fine, anyway, my brain is like this. Even if you explain more, I won’t understand.” Yu Jin waved his hand. “You provide the money, and I’ll stockpile the supplies.”

“We have a testing ground, which used to be the ruins of a  small town. We can clear out some usable old buildings from there,” Zhu Yanchen continued. “As for the mechanical parts on the list, please find someone to assemble them into cleaning machines. We only need to clean the underground part.”

“Ah? The erosion in that area is quite severe. Can the machines even operate?”

“We’ll figure something out.”

“…Alright.” Yu Jin’s expression became more serious. “I won’t ask what you two are planning. I just hope that you can keep your promise and not let the people in the settlement suffer any losses. If you’re not using the land and resources, they should belong to us. As long as you can do that, I’m willing to help.”

“Certainly.”

After discussing the details with Yu Jin for a while, the two returned to the inn just at noon. Uncle Pan was napping behind the counter, so they quietly returned to their room without disturbing him.

Seeing the double bed, Shu Jun felt a sense of familiarity. He patted the pillow on the bed and was about to say something when he noticed Zhu Yanchen staring at the mannequin.

“Don’t look. I’m going to practice. I still have to go hunting tonight.”

After finishing breakfast, Shu Jun still felt hungry. Even though there was regular food to satisfy his hunger, he still wanted to hunt some mutant beasts for a meal. During this time, his hidden appetite for Zhu Yanchen hadn’t disappeared. Since discovering his feelings, his “appetite” had taken on an additional meaning, which he firmly suppressed in fear of losing control again.

“I’m afraid this won’t work.” Zhu Yanchen glanced at the points on the mannequin. “Even if you practice with it, real people breathe, and their bodies don’t remain completely still, so you won’t achieve the optimal effect.”

He glanced at the body model once again and took off his windbreaker. “Do it on me.”

“You… What…?” Shu Jun’s hand slipped, and instead of patting the pillow, he hit the edge of the bed.

“It’s better to practice on a live person.”

Zhu Yanchen started to unbutton his shirt while speaking calmly.

“First, practice accuracy. You only need to let the erosion crawl on the surface of my body; you don’t need to touch my brain. Second, I am immune to erosion. They won’t be able to invade me. Lastly, when faced with me, the erosion will resist vigorously, which is more conducive to practicing control.”

“Uh…” Shu Jun stood still, dumbfounded. By the time he reacted, Zhu Yanchen had already marked the practice points with a pen.

Red crosses scattered across his pale skin, rising and falling with each breath.

“You can start practicing now.” Zhu Yanchen, shirtless, sat at the end of the bed. He calmly opened his tablet screen and continued his research, clearly not intending to waste any time.

Shu Jun swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling that mixed appetite rise again. He pierced his lips with his teeth and took three whole seconds to suppress it.

“I understand,” he said softly.

The pitch-black erosion transformed into fine tendrils, slowly crawling up Zhu Yanchen’s skin like deformed vines. The contrast between black and white was exceptionally vivid, and Shu Jun could hear his own heartbeat clearly.

Damn, it really is a highly difficult exercise.

The threads passed over a red cross but failed to fully invade the intersecting point. Under Shu Jun’s force, the erosion tendril slid lightly over the skin, winding quietly and then returning.

The red crosses gradually became incomplete, and a few central points were successfully erased. This task was somewhat like embroidery; indeed, it required practice.

Despite countless threads caressing his upper body, Zhu Yanchen remained motionless.

“If you feel itchy, let me know,” Shu Jun said hesitantly. The scene before him was too ambiguous, and his thoughts gradually became muddled.

‘I must adjust the atmosphere,’ he thought.

“It’s fine,” Zhu Yanchen didn’t turn around and replied in a steady voice. “Just continue. Don’t be nervous.”

Don’t be nervous? His heart felt like it was about to jump out of his throat. Shu Jun took a few deep breaths; his back was soaked in sweat.

Aside from standing up to complete the red crosses, Zhu Yanchen sat on the bed until the sun went down. Shu Jun’s progress was astonishing—initially, the erosion tendril was crooked and lacked precision, but later, each stroke became accurate and direct.

Having grown accustomed to the sensory stimulation, Shu Jun’s hunger intensified several times, but his mood became more stable. That self-assurance of being in control returned once again, with only a small regret—

From start to finish, Zhu Yanchen sat steadily, without the slightest wavering.

From a certain perspective, this practice was ambiguous enough yet the other party had no reaction at all. Perhaps he truly saw him as just a friend. Shu Jun felt a slight sense of disappointment.

With this thought in mind, Shu Jun’s mischievous side emerged. Before completely retracting the erosion tendril, he intentionally left a thread and allowed it to slowly move, crawling across Zhu Yanchen’s neck, hooking onto his left ear from the root, and tracing along the contour.

He remembered well that Smoke’s ears were ticklish.

Sure enough, Marshal Zhu’s left ear turned red in an instant. His expression became peculiar as he turned around, grabbing Shu Jun’s wrist.

“Sorry, sorry, I saw you motionless—” Shu Jun immediately retracted the erosion tendril, raising both hands.

Zhu Yanchen scanned him from head to toe with an unfamiliar gaze. Shu Jun quickly adjusted his expression, straightened his posture, and decided to apologize sincerely—

Marshal Zhu leaned forward, his face coming a bit too close. He whispered near Shu Jun’s ear, “Stop messing around. I still have that pair of handcuffs.”

His voice was soft and his tone calm, so Shu Jun didn’t know whether this was a joke or a threat.

“I’ll go hunting now.” Shu Jun stood up abruptly. “I won’t dare anymore, I promise. I’ll catch a plump mutant beast, and we can roast it and eat it together later.”

Zhu Yanchen wiped his face slowly. “…We don’t have enough chili powder. I’ll go buy some.”

“Okay, okay, A’Yan, you know me well. Remember to get a few bottles of drinks.”

“Mm.”

Inside Y City.

The command center had an incident, so Yi Ning had been running around all day. Finally, as night fell, he dragged his tired steps back to the office.

To his surprise, there was a familiar figure there. Luo Duan was leaning against the sofa, reading a book. When he saw Yi Ning enter, he revealed a gentle smile.

“You’re back,” he said softly.

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The author has something to say:

Shu Jun: I’m seducing him, but he’s not moved at all. Could it be that it’s really just friendship? (Referring to the erosion tendrils)

Marshal: I’m seducing him, but he’s not moved at all. Could it be that it’s really just friendship? (Referring to undressing)

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 51: Final Statement

Zhu Sheng’s demeanor was completely different from that in the expansion pack. With just a glimpse through the crack, Shu Jun felt a strong sense of oppression. Zhu Sheng wasn’t a smiling tiger type of character. His face was imposing even when not angry, and the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes looked like they were carved into hardwood, not affected by muscle movements. The decoration style of Xia Liang’s lounge was light and cute, but with Zhu Sheng’s presence, the air suddenly became ten times heavier.

Zhu Sheng was about seventy years old, with white hair dyed black, looking younger than his actual age. He quickly glanced around the room and smiled at Xia Liang. “It’s time to go on stage. Go prepare.”

This was a request to leave. The reason for Zhu Sheng’s visit wasn’t difficult to guess—Xia Liang’s lounge didn’t have surveillance and was the most confidential room in the Grand Theatre.

Xia Liang was very perceptive. She quickly bowed and lifted the complicated skirt of her costume, walking faster than running, leaving the two men in the wardrobe behind.

Shu Jun: “…”

Xia Liang’s wardrobe was quite large, so he and Zhu Yanchen didn’t have to stick close together. Thinking that this person didn’t like physical contact, Shu Jun deliberately stayed far away—so as not to be misunderstood as taking advantage, since he planned to pursue Zhu Yanchen in the future.

Zhu Yanchen apparently noticed Shu Jun’s movement and adjusted his posture silently. The wardrobe was dim, and Shu Jun could vaguely sense a hint of sadness on the other person’s face.

Is it because of Zhu Sheng?

Shu Jun turned his gaze to the outside of the wardrobe again.

“Your condition isn’t quite right,” Zhu Sheng said to Xia Yufeng with no emotion in his tone.

Xia Yufeng was so scared that he was frozen, his lips trembling uncontrollably. “I didn’t tell her anything. I really didn’t. Zhu Lao…”

“Barely passable,” Zhu Sheng said casually. “Her mood is fine.”

Only then did Xia Yufeng relax. He hadn’t yet fully relaxed when Zhu Sheng put his hands behind his back and said slowly, “Do you know about the command center incident?”

“I heard a little bit before coming here.”

“Mm.”

“I heard that the brain control stored at the bottom was destroyed.” Seeing that Zhu Sheng didn’t express his opinion, Xia Yufeng continued cautiously. “In such a heavily secured place, this incident must have been caused by humans, right?¹“

“Remove the modal particles from your sentence. ‘This incident must have been caused by humans’.¹ Zhu Yanchen wouldn’t speak in that tone.”

¹Clarity: Xia Yufeng originally added a [ba] (吧) which is a modal particle that is often added to the end of statements to express uncertainty or suggestion. Zhu Sheng is correcting him by telling him to drop it when speaking, as Zhu Yanchen wouldn’t use [ba] (吧).

“Yes, yes!”

“Before Yi Ning, investigate this matter thoroughly. Make a show of going to the Old Fourth.”

“The Old Fourth…?”

“A non-governmental organization. It has recently extended its reach too far and needs to be taught a lesson… You have been with Zhu Yanchen for several years. Do I need to explain the rest?”

“I understand.” Xia Yufeng’s back was covered in cold sweat. With things having reached this point, his life was being tightly controlled by both the Zhu father and son. “I’ll pick up the synthetic work that Zhu Yanchen was previously responsible for. But if the brain control is destroyed, can we still produce new synths?”

“I didn’t come here to give you advice.” Zhu Sheng didn’t hide his disdain. “Since you’ve taken up this position, don’t just think about your own little world all the time. If you don’t do well, there’s no difference between you and a fake.”

Shu Jun couldn’t help but look at Zhu Yanchen again.

Facing his biological father, Zhu Yanchen didn’t have any particular reaction. It was just unclear whether he was mistaken or not, but it seemed that Marshal Zhu had gotten much closer, and his body temperature had warmed up the air around him.

Still feeling stifled? After thinking about it for a while, Shu Jun considerately stuck something on the edge of the wardrobe. Zhu Yanchen’s face had a layer of faint blackness.

Perhaps because he was bored with Xia Yufeng’s silence and trembling, Zhu Sheng glanced at the small lounge, then opened the door wide. “Let’s go.”

Taking advantage of Zhu Sheng’s inattention, Xia Yufeng hesitated and glanced at the wardrobe, then obediently straightened his back and followed him out. The two didn’t immediately leave the room and instead waited quietly for Zhu Sheng and the guards outside to walk away.

“Your father has a strong presence,” Shu Jun whispered. “Can Xia Yufeng really hold on?”

“It concerns his life, and he still has some skills,” Zhu Yanchen responded in a low voice. “Don’t be fooled by Xia Yufeng’s appearance. He has some ability—when the Xia family sent him to be my subordinate, it was an indirect attempt to please Zhu Sheng.”

“It seems you haven’t always been alone.” Shu Jun patted Zhu Yanchen’s forearm. “That’s good.”

“I started studying the loopholes in the player system a long time ago, and when he found out, he ran to Zhu Sheng and told him,” Zhu Yanchen said seriously.

Shu Jun: “…” No wonder the atmosphere was a bit strange earlier. He thought Xia Yufeng was apologizing for impersonating Zhu Yanchen.

“The things that Zhu Sheng destroyed weren’t genuine.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was a bit cold. “At that time, Zhu Sheng noticed that something was wrong with me, and it would only be a matter of time before he found out about the research. I released a decoy and tested Xia Yufeng, and you know the results.”

Since then, he had never revealed his full plan to his subordinates. All of them only knew the parts that they were responsible for, and this lesson was also worth the price.

Half a step away, Shu Jun felt a bit uncomfortable. Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t seem like a healing type of subordinate, and he hadn’t heard of Zhu Yanchen having any close confidants. He had thought that this person had friends to accompany him, but now it seemed that he was still alone.

…No, he almost forgot about Miss Xia Liang.

“I don’t have any objections to Miss Xia Liang,” Shu Jun hurriedly said. “If you think she’s trustworthy and if you encounter a situation that requires her cooperation, just let me know.

There it is again. There it is again. Zhu Yanchen’s grayish complexion had appeared again.

“Do you still want to see her?” Zhu Yanchen’s tone was a bit strange.

“Ah?” Shu Jun was stunned, and for a moment, he couldn’t grasp Zhu Yanchen’s motive for asking. “It’s not like I want to see her. Uh, don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to interfere with your personal life. I just brought it up from a cooperation perspective since I heard that you two had broken up…”

Zhu Yanchen grabbed Shu Jun’s shoulders, clenching his fists tightly.

“She likes wo—”

The wardrobe was opened with a snap.

“Oh, you two are still here?” Xia Liang raised her eyebrows. “I’ve finished singing two songs over there, so if you want to leave, you better hurry up… Or are you two planning to join me to get your photographs taken by the media later?”

Seeing the movements of the two, her gaze swept over Zhu Yanchen’s hand, and her expression became ambiguous. When she spoke again, she reverted to her sweet and charming tone. “The secret passage is over there. Let me help you open it. Speaking of, may I see your face, sir?”

She looked at Zhu Yanchen out of the corner of her eye, pretending to be shy.

Shu Jun had already found the mask stuffy. Since they were planning to leave, he didn’t restrain himself any longer and simply took it off—it was a simple effort, and he wouldn’t be petty against this girl.

“Oh my, you’re so handsome. Even better than Marshal Zhu,” Xia Liang said softly. “Sir, I’ve never seen you before. What’s your name?”

“Xia Liang, stop fooling around.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was icy, and he grabbed Shu Jun’s hand. “Let’s go.”

“Take care.” Xia Liang bit her lip and looked aggrieved. She twisted the perfume bottle in the corner and opened the secret passage.

As soon as the two disappeared, Xia Liang burst into laughter. After years of collaboration, she had never seen Zhu Yanchen’s calm demeanor broken like this. The marshal had always been indifferent to everything—including himself—like a machine. Now that she saw his panicked side, she found it extremely interesting.

Iron Tree surnamed Zhu had really bloomed.

Xia Liang had only known that Zhu Yanchen was overly concerned about Shu Jun before, but now it seemed that reality was much more entertaining than she thought. Miss Xia picked up her communicator and wanted to share this great news with someone, but as she scrolled through her contacts, her smile gradually disappeared.

Wearing this mask for too long, she didn’t have anyone to share it with. Even when she hadn’t broken up with her girlfriend, she had to keep it a secret from her.

…How boring.

Xia Liang ran her fingers through her hair, wiped away the tears that had come out of her laughter, and returned to being the cute and coy young lady of the Xia family. She was about to face the camera, so she had to prepare her mood in advance.

In the secret passage.

Shu Jun only felt his hand being squeezed tightly by Zhu Yanchen. To be honest, he was still a bit confused. Xia Liang’s image outside was pure, gentle, and courteous. He thought she was just curious about his appearance, but he didn’t expect Xia Liang to be so open-minded.

Anyone would mind when the person they had feelings for paid extra attention to someone else.

“A’Yan, I think you may have misunderstood something.” After the two climbed out of the secret passage, Shu Jun quickly clarified, “I don’t have any thoughts about her, really.”

“She likes women,” Zhu Yanchen said gloomily.

“?!?”

“…She only likes women,” Marshal Zhu repeated through gritted teeth. “She was just teasing you.”

Shu Jun stood frozen on the spot, his heart bursting with unknown fireworks—if Xia Liang liked women, then it would be impossible for her to have residual feelings for Zhu Yanchen. He had been thinking about it just a second ago, that Zhu Yanchen had a lingering attachment to Xia Liang and that he should bury his own feelings deep in his heart rather than interfere with their relationship. But at this moment, his sadness disappeared on its own.

It turned out that all of Zhu Yanchen’s previous unnatural behaviors were only because he was afraid that Xia Liang was teasing him. He was really a considerate friend.

With a relaxed and happy mood, Shu Jun took a deep breath, and he was more energetic in discussing business matters. “Zhu Sheng mentioned something about the Old Fourth just now…”

For a moment, a trace of helplessness flashed in Zhu Yanchen’s eyes. But when he heard about business matters, he became serious again. “Zhu Sheng has always been bothered by the Old Fourth. For the people living in the settlement, the Old Fourth is more trustworthy than the United Government. With the current situation unstable, he’s afraid that the Old Fourth will take advantage and expand their power.”

“I know.” Shu Jun let Zhu Yanchen lead him through the streets and alleys of Y City. “I’m just worried about you.”

Zhu Yanchen’s footsteps halted.

“Now that you’re not here, Zhu Sheng has regained his power. If he’s investigating the Old Fourth and dig deeper about their leader, he might find that you’re still alive…”

“He won’t. Ai Xiaoxiao is always cautious. It’s not easy just to track her down.” Zhu Yanchen also took a deep breath.

As soon as they returned to Ai’s Clinic, they were greeted by a barrage of scolding from Ai Xiaoxiao.

“Sneaking out in the middle of the night, huh?” She picked up a scalpel, and the tip of the knife almost touched Shu Jun’s nose. “Do you know how troublesome it is to reconfigure the basement protection network? Can’t you wait until tomorrow to go out and die?”

“Urgent matters. It’s business.” Shu Jun stared at the moving knife point in front of him, quickly trying to appease her.

“First that surname Dong and now you two. Yes, I work for you, but just because you say, ‘business matter’ I’m supposed to let it slide?” Ai Xiaoxiao gritted her teeth. “If you’re really sincere about apologizing, lie down on the operating table and let me dissect you properly…”

“I’ll go down first. A’Yan, I’ll wait for you in the bedroom.” Shu Jun slumped his shoulders, turned, and ran away, leaving Ai Xiaoxiao, who was about to explode, with her real boss.

Zhu Yanchen stood silently on the basement floor like a frozen cat, letting Ai Xiaoxiao rant and rave in front of him.

Seeing that he wasn’t responding, Ai Xiaoxiao started to feel bored, and after a few minutes, she calmed down. After rolling her eyes several times, she exhaled a breath. “Fine, it’s convenient that Shu Jun isn’t here. His detailed scan results just came out tonight. I need to talk to you about it.”

Zhu Yanchen instantly thawed. “Let me see.”

Ai Xiaoxiao waved her hand, and several screens appeared in the air. The images and text flickered, and Zhu Yanchen’s brow furrowed tighter and tighter.

“You’ve noticed it too? Every time he fights with an Alpha Erosion Swamp, he recovers a bit of his memory. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence now—”

Ai Xiaoxiao pointed to Shu Jun’s brain scan. “The foreign brain tissue is cleared away by the erosion, leaving a hole in his brain. After two battles, that hole has obvious signs of healing.”

“Quality erosion is repairing his brain,” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was a bit dry.

“Yes, it’s not the kind of rough imitation. Erosion relies on the information fragments left by Sigma to truly repair brain cells to their original state—repairing a surface wound and repairing a damaged brain—you should know the difference in difficulty between the two?”

Zhu Yanchen’s last bit of relaxation disappeared from his face.

“Shu Jun’s synchronization rate with the Erosion Swamp is surprisingly high. Sigma obviously also found this out. Do you understand what this means? Zhu Yanchen, if Shu Jun’s brain fully recovers, he will become the first synthetic human in history to have a ‘complete brain’. If we compare the synthetic human to a human instruction manual for the Erosion Swamp, he is the most detailed and complete final version.”

“If Shu Jun defects or loses the battle, Sigma will not just be a ‘demon god’ that was pieced together. The thinking of a top-level warrior, the unknown abilities of a composite, absolute suppression of other Erosion Swamp… Faced with the current Sigma, we can still barely survive. Once it is completely intact, we won’t even have a chance to win.”

Zhu Yanchen closed his eyes. Ai Xiaoxiao crossed her arms and looked at him with interest.

“I won’t touch him now, if that’s what you’re asking.”

After a while, Zhu Yanchen spoke.

Ai Xiaoxiao whistled. “If it were Zhu Sheng in your place, he would probably already have rolled up his sleeves and personally killed him. After knowing each other for so long, I just realized that the Zhu family also has people of character.”

“No, this decision is not based on my emotions.” Zhu Yanchen clenched his fists. “First, Shu Jun’s ‘Suppression’ is very useful. Sigma doesn’t have this ability, and it’s one of our trump cards against it. Second, Luo Duan has already joined Sigma. We need a leader to stabilize the synthetic humans—even if they don’t fight against Sigma, it’s enough if they don’t take the opportunity to kill humans.”

“That would make sense if Shu Jun cooperates—but what if Mr. Shu wants to follow in Luo Duan’s footsteps?”

“I will deal with him personally.”

Zhu Yanchen lowered his gaze. “I’ll talk to him about these things frankly and openly in a moment. After all, to analyze the ‘Suppression’, we need his cooperation.”

“Are you kidding me?” Ai Xiaoxiao burst into short bouts of laughter. “You, the nominal chief strategist, are going to go straight to his face and say it? What are you going to say? ‘Mr. Shu, if you join the Erosion Swamp, we’re all dead! So please cooperate with me. Let me study your abilities and make sure to destroy your brain in time when something goes wrong’?”

“Yes.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Right now, the last thing I should do is conceal it.” Zhu Yanchen’s tone was calm. “Humans have hidden it from him for too long. Since we’re partners, I will explain the situation thoroughly. Shu Jun isn’t a reckless person. He’s quite smart, and he treasures his teammates… I understand him.”

Ai Xiaoxiao didn’t say anything else and looked back and forth at Zhu Yanchen’s face.

“Forget it. I’m not very concerned about life and death anyway,” she said lightly. “It’s up to you.”

She put away those screens, stretched lazily, and then came back to her senses. “Wait, you said it’s not based on your emotions… Do you really have feelings for him?”

“Mm.”

“What?!”

“If we can cooperate until the end…” In the dark room, Zhu Yanchen’s gaze was obscure. “I want to keep him by my side.”

Ai Xiaoxiao’s mouth fell open, and she gasped, looking more shocked than before. “Wait, wait. Is it what I’m thinking? You… Him…? You really are crazy. My god, I think I should pack my bags early and be ready to run away for my life—”

Zhu Yanchen gave her a cold glare and walked down to the bedroom on the lower level.

Ai Xiaoxiao’s thoughts jumped around between home, country, the end of the world, and gossip, but when she calmed down, she slowly sat on the nearest chair. “…Oh, should I not have given them two single beds?”

The temporary bedroom on the second basement floor.

“Okay.”

After hearing Zhu Yanchen’s explanation, Shu Jun agreed to assist without hesitation. He continued to brush his teeth, holding the toothbrush in his mouth, as if Zhu Yanchen had just borrowed a tube of toothpaste from him.

The other side was too straightforward that it left Zhu Yanchen confused for a while.

“If I can transplant the ‘Suppression’ ability onto a weapon, I will have the ability to easily kill you,” Zhu Yanchen repeated, fearing that the other party didn’t understand him clearly.

“Isn’t that great?” Shu Jun spat out mouthwash. “In case Sigma really cripples me, you can blow my head off in time, and it won’t learn anything.”

“I will have the ability to easily kill you,” Zhu Yanchen repeated.

Shu Jun looked at him worriedly, with toothpaste foam still around his mouth. “Marshal Zhu, are you okay? I already have the ability to easily kill you now, and nothing has happened to you. We’re still sharing a room.”

Zhu Yanchen: “…” For a moment, he didn’t know how to refute.

“But I’m quite happy.” Shu Jun turned his head back and continued brushing his teeth, making his voice muffled. “You didn’t hide anything from me.”

He also had no intention of taking advantage of the moment when Zhu Yanchen wasn’t paying attention and killing him easily to prevent future troubles.

As expected of the person he fell in love with. Shu Jun had been wanting to find flaws in Zhu Yanchen so that his feelings for him would grow slower. But after observing him carefully for a while, he found that there was nothing annoying about him; rather, he had some cuteness.

“But…” Marshal Zhu was the first to speak, perhaps because Shu Jun had agreed too readily, and he himself was now hesitant.

“What are you hesitating about? Anyway, I’m not planning on losing to Sigma.” After washing his face, Shu Jun shook his head with a smile. “Even if you really want to blow my head off, you’ll need the chance to do so.”

“Also, there’s already enough trouble with Luo Duan on Sigma’s side. If I also have to give up my comrades and join that thing, you can kill me.” After thinking for a moment, Shu Jun added, “I won’t give up on them, nor should I. I’m luckier than Luo Duan, so I should also bear the responsibility brought on by this ‘luck’.”

As he spoke, Shu Jun suddenly had a sense of déjà vu—he seemed to have said something similar a long time ago.

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze softened. “Mm.”

“You have to go back to the team tomorrow, and I don’t know when Ai Xiaoxiao’s medicine will be ready… Haa, looking at how Hu Yan and the others are, my heart aches.” After finishing the main topic, Shu Jun sat by the bed and began to ramble. “And there’s so much trouble on Yu Jin’s side…”

Zhu Yanchen sat across from him, listening attentively.

The content of their conversation became more relaxed, gradually resembling their previous online chats. However, the distance between them, with two hospital beds only a meter apart, made Shu Jun feel uncomfortable.

He wasn’t going to do anything inappropriate, but sleeping on the same bed as the person he had a crush on still made him happy. During this mission, they slept in a tent with Yu Jin, and they had all been sleeping in separate sleeping bags for several days. Then they arrived in Y City and encountered this awkward situation.

They chatted for a while until it was time to sleep.

“Good night.” Shu Jun curled up facing the wall, sighed quietly, and spoke softly.

“Good night.” Zhu Yanchen replied in a low voice.

…Shortly after, Grand Marshal Zhu turned over and faced away, quietly sighing as well.

---

The author has something to say:

Shu Ge: When the person you like pays extra attention to others, it’s natural to feel jealous.

Marshal: You know that too.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 50: Sigma

“The ability of that little Erosion Swamp is most likely ‘Crush’,” Ai Xiaoxiao said. “Cutting itself into pieces, sneaking into the command center in batches, and then restoring itself—other Erosion Swamps can’t do that.”

Having no luck finding Luo Duan, and with alarms sounding all around them, the two had to retreat. Ai Xiaoxiao wasn’t on duty at the command center today, so they went straight to Ai’s Clinic.

It had been less than a week since she had started studying the brain sample, but Ai Xiaoxiao had at least gone through everything related to Monday and managed to draw a lot of preliminary conclusions.

She had been studying tirelessly lately, eating only one meal a day. Now she was sitting across from the two of them, wolfing down noodles and explaining things in a muffled voice.

“I have some idea of how it entered the command center,” Ai Xiaoxiao said, tapping her fork. “But let’s start with the basics. You’re probably most concerned about the special abilities of Erosion Swamps with brains.”

Zhu Yanchen nodded.

“Based on what I’ve seen so far, the special abilities of Erosion Swamps with brains are more like using the first obsession or wish generated by the brain? It’s roughly the same thing. When Shu Jun wanted you to rest quietly, it resulted in ‘Suppression’. As for Sweet Edge, her thought was to restore her body, resulting in ‘Creation’. As for the Erosion Swamp you encountered, I suspect that the last synthetic human consciousness it contacted was ‘wanting to see what it has become’.”

Therefore, it gained the ability to replicate the appearance of objects, which did make sense. Shu Jun stirred the mixed noodles on his plate with a fork and listened attentively.

“From here on, I need to give someone a refresher on the basics of the Erosion Swamp.” Ai Xiaoxiao wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth and gave Shu Jun a sidelong glance. “What I’m about to say is related to that so-called ‘behind-the-scenes mastermind’ Erosion Swamp, so you two better listen carefully.”

“Erosion Swamps don’t intentionally seek out people. You should know that the Erosion Swamp doesn’t discriminate and doesn’t even choose between organic and inorganic matter. As for why they are now imitating humans—firstly, humans are the only species that can threaten their existence, and secondly, humans are generous and know that the Erosion Swamp don’t really understand their own bodily intelligence. This is why they made synthetic humans that resonate easily with the Erosion Swamp and delivered them straight to the swamps’ doors, as if giving them a detailed instruction manual.”

She poured herself a large glass of water and sneered, “Humans brought this upon themselves. Without synthetic humans as a springboard…look at Monday. Monday is the natural limit of an Erosion Swamp. Do you think it would be difficult to deal with?”

Shu Jun lifted his sword and placed it on the dining table. Monday seemed to sense the solemn atmosphere, choked out a sob, and started playing dead.

Monday was cunning and had a bit of a brain, but compared to humans, it was more like an “animal”.

Intelligent animals understood how to seek benefits and avoid harm, and unless the situation was extreme, they wouldn’t provoke humans. Before encountering Sweet Edge, Zhu Yanchen had also followed this line of thinking.

Unfortunately, things didn’t always go as planned.

“I understand what you mean. The Erosion Swamp learns from humans at most one-tenth or one-twelfth, and they may not be focused on it. With us as raw materials, they can focus on us as their targets and can learn six or seven-tenths of what we have to offer. I didn’t misunderstand, did I?” Shu Jun squeezed the sword handle. “But what does this have to do with the mastermind?”

“What’s the rush? I was just about to tell you. The Erosion Swamp is different from normal organisms. They don’t undergo cell differentiation, and their nature is more like a set of identically sized building blocks. Based on intelligence, they form a structure similar to a cell, which is the origin of the Erosion Swamp’s ‘brain’, and at most can be considered a group of erosion substance playing house at a higher level.”

Monday heard that this wasn’t a compliment and quietly spat out a “pfft”. Ai Xiaoxiao gave it a cold glance, and it instantly straightened its body, pretending it hadn’t done anything.

“They aggregate synthetic human remnants together, regardless of their quality, and cram them in. Apart from your exceptional case, the Erosion Swamp’s special abilities are derived from the residual subconscious of synthetic humans. Surname Zhu, your research is more inclined towards this aspect, right?”

Zhu Yanchen nodded again.

“They’re not just borrowing logical thinking.” Shu Jun started to pick up.

“Yes, thanks to the information you provided, we have come to a preliminary conclusion—in words you can understand, the Erosion Swamps absorb all the despair and hatred of the players before they die. The more powerful players can even leave behind ‘special abilities’ through their obsession. Fortunately, the resonance among players isn’t so high, so the information that the Erosion Swamp gets is limited. Even if they learn six or seven out of ten things, their nature is still something else.”

The sound of a fork scratching the moist porcelain plate created an unbearable noise. The mockery on Ai Xiaoxiao’s face became even stronger.

“They should have learned everything—at least the ancestral fighting methods of humans.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let me explain.” Zhu Yanchen took over the conversation. “Humans have a clear individual concept, but Erosion Swamps don’t. Luckily, Erosion Swamps with brains outside have developed independently, and the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s testing is the result of their negotiation. If we’re unlucky…”

“If we’re unlucky, there’s only one ‘mastermind’ behind it all.”

Ai Xiaoxiao let go of the fork, no longer making noise.

“It aggregates all the Erosion Swamps with brains, holding all existing information. Whether it’s the ‘Crush’ Erosion Swamp of the command center or the ‘Mirror’ type to probe you, they are all things it has split off. Sweet Edge was too powerful and retained her own thinking ability, so it didn’t dare to touch it.”

Zhu Yanchen sighed heavily.

Ai Xiaoxiao snorted. “And judging from your weird dream, we’re really unlucky—where did the ‘Crush’ Erosion Swamp get its information and intelligence from? The hidden Erosion Swamp with brains might really be just one. Calling it the ‘mastermind’ is too convoluted. I’ve already come up with a name for it. I’m going to call it Sigma.”

Shu Jun looked at the mixed noodles on the plate, completely losing his appetite.

“Let me summarize it,” he said in a daze. “You mean the one we’re looking for… Sigma, is the concentration of the negative emotions and obsessions of the dead. It sounds like—”

“It’s not sounds like. It is an evil god created by humans themselves.”

Ai Xiaoxiao smirked.

“Erosion substance is just erosion substance. It just follows its instincts to survive and doesn’t have any tendencies… Okay, hurry up and eat your food. After you finish, I still need to check your brain.”

After the examination, the two of them stayed in the basement of the clinic.

Having lost a potential collaborator, not obtaining the medicine for the brain shock, and being drenched with cold information, Shu Jun sat on the edge of the bed, feeling a little listless.

Humans had created an evil god, and synthetic humans not only couldn’t stay out of it but also had to pay the price. When the Erosion Swamp came, not to mention humans, even synthetic humans or dogs wouldn’t be taken into consideration.

But the hatred was there. Let alone his teammates, he himself didn’t want to fight to “protect mankind”. The conflict between humans and synthetic humans was irreconcilable, and outside there was a Sigma watching eagerly, not knowing when it would strike.

In such a messed-up situation, he still had to find the most appropriate solution. Shu Jun’s head was throbbing. He tried to find some good news—from the situation of Luo Duan, it seemed that Sigma preferred to provoke the conflict between humans and synthetic humans rather than directly attack them. At least they could control the situation and buy some time.

Shu Jun collapsed on the hospital bed stiffly, making a loud noise.

Surprised by the sound, Zhu Yanchen turned his head. He hesitated for a few seconds, sat on the edge of the bed, and covered Shu Jun’s forehead with one hand.

“The thing you dreamed of is probably a part of Sigma,” Zhu Yanchen said with concern in his tone.

“Then it’s pretty silly.” Shu Jun weakly smiled. “That’s not what I’m worried about now. What about Luo Duan… The combination of his splitting ability and water control is terrible. We can’t catch him.”

“Removing the brain chips from the players only means that they have the ability to know the truth, not that they will immediately accept it.” Zhu Yanchen withdrew his hand from Shu Jun’s forehead. “If he wants to spread the truth, he must take action. Although we can’t mobilize the regular army, I will ask the people from the Old Fourth to pay attention.”

“Okay,” Shu Jun looked at his slender fingers, feeling uneasy. At this moment, Luo Duan must be taking action, but he was idle here. He turned over and over like a hotcake, feeling uncomfortable.

He had to take action, but after this battle, the alert level of the command center would only increase. The enemy was in the dark, and they had no place to start.

Wait, the command center…

“What time is it now?” Shu Jun rolled his eyes.

“Seven in the evening.”

“The event at the Grand Theatre hasn’t ended yet.”

“I have arranged some waiters from the Old Fourth. If you are talking about intelligence…”

“No.” Shu Jun sat up straight from the bed. “I suddenly have an idea.”

Zhu Yanchen raised his eyebrows.

“If I were Luo Duan, I might take the opportunity to start from the inside. No, I’m not talking about killing people. There have been many assassinations among the three major families, and the defense measures must be good. If he exposes himself now, he will be picking sesame seeds, losing sight of the watermelon*.”

*Idiom which means to gain a little but lose a lot or to lose sight of the bigger picture by focusing on small gains.

Due to the tacit understanding cultivated since childhood, Zhu Yanchen quickly picked up his thoughts.

“You think he won’t leave Y City.”

“He won’t leave easily without enough intelligence. After all, we have conflicting positions. If he leaves Y City, I can easily pursue him. But if he stays in Y City, I can’t do anything to him—at least not openly.”

Zhu Yanchen’s gaze gradually changed.

“Ahem, so we need to go to the Grand Theatre… I guess you have figured it out.” Shu Jun made a subtle gesture. “You can consider the situation and take back your position in advance.”

Zhu Yanchen stared directly at Shu Jun’s grayish-white pupils, quickly calculating in his heart.

Threatening or even kidnapping the substitute and regaining some of the resources in the United Government. Even if there were guards in the Grand Theatre, they were only guarding humans, which was much easier to deal with than the command center. It was a very risky move, but not impossible.

“Let’s go take a look first.” He didn’t refuse.

The Grand Theatre was brightly lit. The alarm in the command center was being handled by special personnel, and for now it was deemed to be caused by human interference. Although the alarm level was high, it wasn’t to the extent that all top-level officials had to come out.

The performance was still ongoing.

The current act was a dance, and Xia Liang was resting backstage. She had already finished doing her makeup and was reading a boring love story. “Marshal Zhu,” who had narrowly escaped death, was sitting on a nearby sofa with his arms crossed and eyes fixed on the ground.

‘I’m bored to death,’ Xia Liang grumbled inwardly with a sour expression. She still had to take charge of the final performance before the curtains closed. She finally had some time to rest, but she had to be with this impostor.

It was bad enough that she had to be with him, but she also had to pretend to know nothing.

She didn’t know what the impostor was thinking, but she was disgusted. Fortunately, she had acted out a breakup scene with the real Zhu Yanchen before, so she didn’t have to act affectionately with this stranger.

“Xiao Liang.” The man spoke hoarsely.

“Hmm?” Xia Liang looked up, and her eyes immediately filled with tears. She had a look of five parts resentment and five parts sorrow, as if she had suffered a great injustice.

Faced with such a look, the man awkwardly stopped talking and fell silent again.

Judging from the situation, the Zhu family was planning to act until the end. Her “romantic relationship” with “Zhu Yanchen” was likely to be restored. After all, what the two families wanted wasn’t the so-called happiness of their children. In this era, marriage was just a guarantee in disguise.

Xia Liang chuckled to herself and continued reading her boring novel.

Well, if this guy dared to touch her, she could expose his fake identity in an instant. Regardless of where this substitute was found, once his identity was leaked, they would both be silenced together. The other party looked like a coward who didn’t have any guts.

But it was still annoying. She didn’t know how long this idiot would be here, and the awkwardness in the air was almost overflowing out the window.

Just then, there was a sound at the door handle. Xia Liang perked up—even if it was an assassin, it would be more interesting than the man in front of her.

The door opened, and two men walked in.

One of them was wrapped tightly, with a bit of a medieval knight vibe and a protective posture in his movements. The other had a bold face and looked like a twin of “Marshal Zhu” on the sofa.

Oh, who else could it be—Marshal Zhu had come to visit, and he even brought Shu Jun disguised as a bodyguard.

She didn’t know if it was her imagination, but Shu Jun kept glancing at her, intentionally or unconsciously. Xia Liang picked up her book, hiding her smile, and pretended to look shocked.

“You… You…” The “Marshal Zhu” on the sofa was dumbfounded.

“Shh.” Zhu Yanchen’s gun was pressed against his forehead, and his other hand made a quiet gesture. Shu Jun locked the door and leaned against the door panel nonchalantly.

“It’s impossible. Zhu Sheng told me… This can’t be…” The impostor was completely confused.

“Zhu Sheng doesn’t know everything,” Zhu Yanchen replied coldly. “Who are you?”

The man looked at Xia Liang again, opened his mouth, and then slumped down completely. “Xia Yufeng.”

“Hah?!” Xia Liang exclaimed.

Then she realized that her tone wasn’t quite appropriate and added softly, “W-What?!”

She had heard of Xia Yufeng before, who was considered a distant relative living miles away. The Xia family had always been grooming him to be Zhu Yanchen’s vassal, so Xia Yufeng had followed Zhu Yanchen for several years and knew of his habits. Zhu Sheng absolutely considered this aspect when choosing this person.

Even though both the Xia family and Zhu Sheng knew that she wasn’t interested in men, this was still too much of a waste. Xia Liang felt nauseous.

According to the information she had received, Xia Yufeng found out about some of Zhu Yanchen’s research and went to report it to Zhu Sheng. Later, Zhu Yanchen’s research materials were destroyed, and Xia Yufeng disappeared from the social circles of the three major families, probably exiled to some remote corner.

Although they were distant relatives in name, they had never had any contact, and she had not paid any more attention to him. Who would have thought that their first meeting would be in such a situation?

When he heard the name of the informant, Zhu Yanchen remained expressionless.

“Oh,” he said lightly. “It’s you. No wonder. They did a good job with the plastic surgery.”

“I’m sorry.” Xia Yufeng was shocked and confused, unable to distinguish whether Zhu Yanchen was human or ghost. “Back then… I didn’t mean to…”

Zhu Yanchen ignored him. “It’s simpler with you. From now on, you will listen to my orders. If I need you to appear, you will appear, and if I need you to disappear, you will disappear. If Zhu Sheng finds out that I’m still alive, even if there’s only a hint of it, you know what he’ll do.”

“If you want to eliminate me and continue to occupy this position, you’d better succeed on the first try. If I hear any rumors, you know what I will do.”

Xia Yufeng choked in fear, as if someone was holding his throat.

Seeing this expression on “Zhu Yanchen’s” face, Shu Jun turned his head uncomfortably. The lounge was small, and the other person came into his view.

Xia Liang was still using the book to cover the lower half of her face. Her eyes were moist and terrified, looking quite pitiful. Before they broke in, he had politely raised the question—should they lure Xia Liang away so they could deal with the impostor alone?

“It’ll be too easy to expose ourselves. Xia Liang’s lounge doesn’t have any surveillance. Don’t worry, she won’t say anything.” Zhu Yanchen had answered like that.

As it turned out, Miss Xia didn’t scream. She just rolled her tearful eyes around, scanning the other three people. Whether she was scared or just had lingering feelings for Zhu Yanchen was still unclear.

Well, if everything could really settle down, the road to pursuing the marshal would still be difficult. If A’Yan was really straight, he had no intention of forcing it.

Shu Jun stared blankly at Xia Liang, ignoring the gaze that Zhu Yanchen threw at him. Marshal Zhu frowned, and his face became even stiffer.

His right hand continued to point the gun at Xia Yufeng, and his left hand patted Shu Jun’s neck. The latter looked at his stiff face and said “Oh”, sounding particularly complicated.

Xia Liang: “…”

She had seen countless men who were infatuated with her. Not to mention Zhu Yanchen, even the synthetic man’s gaze wasn’t one of amazement or admiration. She always felt that his eyes were a bit like those of a wolf protecting its prey. But in the next second, Marshal Zhu turned to touch Shu Jun’s neck and looked at him.

That gaze was just like Shu Jun’s, and the wolf that had been protecting its prey suddenly became two.

…These two people are interesting.

“What do you want me to do?” On the other side, seeing that Marshal Zhu hadn’t mentioned any conditions for a long time, Xia Yufeng’s legs went weak with fear. He summoned all his courage and spoke up.

Xia Yufeng was clear about Zhu Yanchen’s methods. He wasn’t as ruthless as Zhu Sheng, but he wasn’t soft-hearted either. He wasn’t the waste that was rumored in the market at all. When he went to inform Zhu Sheng, on the one hand, he wanted to gain Zhu Sheng’s backing, and on the other hand, he was really frightened by Zhu Yanchen’s research.

The command center had been researching synths and the Erosion Swamp. They were trying to reduce the cost of manufacturing the hibernation pods, strengthen control over the fragments of the brain, accelerate the growth of synthetic humans, and adjust their appearances to match other species… All sorts of things like this.

But Zhu Yanchen had no interest in those studies.

Thinking back to those times, Xia Yufeng felt a bit complicated.

He had been raised as a subordinate of Zhu Yanchen since he was young, and he had some resentment, but not much. When he turned sixteen, he officially began to assist the young master of the Zhu family. Although the two weren’t close, Zhu Yanchen never blamed him or instructed him to do any unsavory “tasks”.

Gradually, Xia Yufeng began to like this job. With a boss like this, as long as he didn’t cause trouble, he could live a comfortable life for the rest of his days.

However, the good times didn’t last. At that time, the young master of the Zhu family was still young and couldn’t keep everything under wraps. Xia Yufeng saw the disease on his body one day—terrifying and twisted. It shouldn’t appear on someone from one of the three major families.

Zhu Yanchen asked him not to say anything and made many promises. Xia Yufeng didn’t know if too many painkillers were used, but at that time, Zhu Yanchen always had a strange and dreamy feeling. Xia Yufeng was only fifteen years old at the time and had never seen a “bigshot” beg him before, so naturally he agreed.

Out of a sense of responsibility to his work, he even expressed his willingness to be Zhu Yanchen’s assistant and hide things for him.

Since then, Zhu Yanchen probably saw him as a reliable subordinate and would occasionally reveal some of his thoughts to him.

Xia Yufeng didn’t like those thoughts; they weren’t normal at all—since the first day they entered the military academy, the teachers had repeatedly emphasized the importance of the player system and the nature of synthetic humans. In Xia Yufeng’s eyes, Zhu Yanchen’s thoughts were almost diametrically opposed to those of the course materials.

Xia Yufeng was terrified.

The player system was the foundation on which they all depended on for survival. In the eyes of a teenager who saw things in black and white, at that time, Zhu Yanchen was no different from an anti-social element.

So he “swallowed his anger” and worked as an assistant for Zhu Yanchen for a year. When Zhu Yanchen allowed him to access his research materials, he immediately reported relevant information to Zhu Sheng. Zhu Sheng destroyed Zhu Yanchen’s research but didn’t commend Xia Yufeng. Instead, he put him on the bench and didn’t give him any important work until today.

‘This is all karma,’ Xia Yufeng thought bitterly. But at least he didn’t make a mistake in judging Zhu Yanchen—this person’s mental state was indeed not quite right. He was about to sit in the leadership position. He couldn’t afford to fake his death at a critical moment.

“What do you want me to do?” Without Zhu Yanchen’s reply, he repeated the question.

“Stay in my office for meals and lodging, except for necessary travel. My office is equipped with a single lounge.”

“Do I have any other options?” Xia Yufeng muttered dejectedly. “Even if you don’t require it, I still have to do it.”

“Prepare enough food in the lounge. I may have to replace you at any time. You will be locked in the lounge when I come back, so keep quiet.”

“……?!”

“That’s all for now. I’ll find a way to send the remaining instructions to the office computer.” Zhu Yanchen put down his gun. “I’ll have someone watch you all the time, so don’t try anything stupid.”

“Yes.” Xia Yufeng gritted his teeth and looked at Xia Liang—it didn’t matter if he, an unknown pawn, was treated this way, but he wanted to see how the “dead” Zhu Yanchen would threaten this popular singer.

“Ah, can I breathe a sigh of relief now?” Xia Liang almost instantly changed her tone. She put down the book covering her face, and her panic and weakness disappeared. “If you’re coming, you should at least tell me in advance, right? Feng Ge, let’s get along well in the future.”

Xia Yufeng looked at Xia Liang in horror.

‘Ah, they were working together from the start,’ Xia Yufeng thought in despair.

However, he wasn’t the only one who was shocked. Shu Jun looked at Xia Liang, then at Zhu Yanchen, and then at Xia Liang again. He hadn’t had a chance to speak when footsteps could be heard from outside the door.

Zhu Yanchen acted very skillfully. He hooked Shu Jun’s waist, and the two squeezed into Xia Liang’s wardrobe.

The visitor knocked on the door twice casually and entered the room without waiting for a response.

“…Father.” Xia Yufeng bit his tongue and quickly adjusted his emotions. He didn’t expect the first test to come so soon.

Shu Jun looked out through the crack in the wardrobe. Even if he didn’t care about the plot of <Erosion>, he still recognized that face.

The person who came in was Zhu Yanchen’s father, Zhu Sheng.

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The author has something to say:

Miss Xia Liang sees through everything√

——

The capitalization of Sigma is ∑, which means summation ←

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Kinky Thoughts:

Quite an apt name considering Sigma is the summation of many Erosion Swamps.

Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen are two gays who act like straight boys. They really should get their gaydar fixed.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 49: Farewell

Half an hour ago.

The two of them took an empty route and rushed to the airspace over Y City.

Y City also had purification protection around it, but the intensity was different from that near the command center. With Shu Jun’s suppression of the erosion in their bodies, they barely managed to make it through, but the risk of being discovered was a bit high. Fortunately, today’s security guards were focused on the Grand Theatre, and after observing the area from above the city for a while, Zhu Yanchen found a blind spot in the surveillance.

“I’ll go in and take a look first.” When they flew near the command center, Zhu Yanchen spoke again. “The ninth window from the left on the top floor. Throw me over there.”

Things happened suddenly, and this time the two of them didn’t have Dong Lao’s help outside the venue. Before Zhu Yanchen regained his permissions, they had to be careful of those alert systems.

Shu Jun didn’t hesitate, and the wind carried the two of them to the side of the building. He let go of his hand holding Zhu Yanchen. Zhu Yanchen opened the buffering device and landed gracefully on the edge of the roof, then climbed up and opened the window.

The command center was one of the few high-rise buildings in Y City, and its defense on the top floor was relatively weaker. Marshal Zhu’s invasion was extremely smooth.

Shu Jun, who was outside the barrier: “……” He couldn’t figure out how this person had become like this, even if he partially regained his memory.

Inside the command center, the marshals usually had a private room. Zhu Yanchen’s “resurrection” came too quickly, so the room should still be there, and his permissions had definitely been restored. Shu Jun patiently floated in the blind spot of the surveillance, staring at the black window.

Zhu Yanchen jumped into the room.

The furnishings in the room hadn’t changed much, and he had very few personal belongings. There were still many files on the desk, and apart from common office supplies, there was only a solitary photo frame that belonged to him.

Many people had come and gone in this room, but no one had ever cared about that simple photo frame. There was no figure in the frame, only a decorative picture that could be seen anywhere—a few fireworks bursting in the dark night sky; nothing else.

Zhu Yanchen reached out and touched the edge of the photo frame.

Then he turned on the office screen and immediately modified the content of the surveillance image. The password layers of the screen were supposed to be secure, but the security center probably didn’t expect the intruder to be Zhu Yanchen’s own “ghost”.

Zhu Yanchen opened the highest level of permissions and directly extracted the distribution of daily erosion substances from the entire building and imported it into his analysis program.

Sure enough.

There was a not-too-big and not-too-small “impurity” slowly wandering around in this huge building. It was hidden deep enough and usually quite dispersed. With the integration of several months of data, Zhu Yanchen could almost confirm that this thing was definitely conscious—at least when the researchers were cleaning erosion substance layer by layer, it knew how to avoid them.

It was time to give these people a big cleanup.

Zhu Yanchen closed the photo frame beside him and lowered the power of the purifiers closest to the erosion substance. After making sure there were no loopholes, he waved to Shu Jun in the distance and made a few gestures.

Since there was something fishy going on in the command center, Shu Jun could invade it openly without worrying, as some sinister Erosion Swamp would take the blame for it anyway.

With the weak spot, Shu Jun successfully broke through again. However, even though it was weakened, the defense system still detected an excessive amount of erosion substance, and the alarm was instantly triggered.

This was what Zhu Yanchen was waiting for.

He intercepted the feedback data from the defense system and overwrote the concentration characteristics of another Erosion Swamp.

“Did you really find an Erosion Swamp?” Seeing Zhu Yanchen calling him in, Shu Jun quickly guessed the reason.

“Mm.” Zhu Yanchen nodded. “I delayed the alarm trigger time. Anyway, let’s go find Luo Duan first.”

Luo Duan’s ward was empty. The white room was spotless, but let alone Shu Jun, even Monday was restless and protesting in the cloth strips.

“The erosion concentration here is not right.” Shu Jun frowned. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

However, the building was too large, and the target deliberately avoided detection. Shu Jun couldn’t sense the location of the other Erosion Swamp at all. But in these matters, the wild erosion swamp, Monday, always performed better than him.

“Can you find the other Erosion Swamp?” Shu Jun asked, releasing Monday from the cloth strip.

Monday grumbled dissatisfied. “I can.”

Then it pursed its mouth and paused every word, with a bit more mockery in its tone. “It. Smells.”

Time was limited, so Shu Jun resisted the urge to twist Monday as he gritted his teeth and said, “Lead. The. Way.”

He used it to hack two alpha-level Erosion Swamps, and it managed to get information and began to freely supplement its own brain. Maybe because it had not swallowed a synthetic human, its compatibility was limited. At this point, not only did Monday not have any human scent, but its strange ability had also grown a lot.

Monday: “Food!”

“Okay, okay, I won’t starve you. Hurry up.”

Without the cover of the cloth, the black sword was exposed halfway. The tip of the big sword trembled a few times, and four hippo-like nostrils popped out, inhaling and exhaling heavily.

Zhu Yanchen: “…”

Shu Jun took a few steps forward sorrowfully. “I know what you want to say. It’s disgusting.”

“…It’s quite unique.” Marshal Zhu looked at the four opening and closing nostrils as he responded seriously.

In his heart, Shu Jun wiped away a tear and followed Monday, who was sniffing frantically. Monday sniffed all the way along the corridor, leading the two straight to the underground.

At this moment, Shu Jun had no joking thoughts—when the two of them entered the elevator, Monday knocked the button to the lowest floor with the sword handle. That was their destination last time, and Shu Jun knew exactly what was there.

The two rushed to the door of the underground hall and looked through the window. There was no one in the hall. Monday sprayed a few drops of nasal mucus, and its nostrils retracted. “Here.”

Shu Jun thought for a moment, rewrapped it, and put it by the door.

“Luo Duan!” After hiding Monday, Shu Jun walked in first and took off his mask. “I know you’re here.”

There was a faint chuckle in the air.

“I didn’t expect it to be you.” The mist dissipated, and Luo Duan slowly appeared. “Since you dare to take off your mask… Did you take care of the surveillance system here?”

Facing Shu Jun’s unusual appearance, he didn’t react at all, giving off a terrifying numbness.

“Sort of, but we don’t have much time.” Shu Jun quickly replied, confirming that Luo Duan wasn’t using his ability. “Since you’re here—”

“Yes, I know.” Luo Duan’s voice was very gentle. “I know everything.”

Shu Jun had heard a lot about Luo Duan’s fiancée. He sighed slowly. “Captain Luo, I won’t beat around the bush… My friend and I are making medicine that can make everyone sober. Let’s go together. We also have doctors who can provide you with better treatment.”

Luo Duan just smiled and didn’t say anything.

“Think of the members of Groundwater.” Shu Jun’s tone became gentler. “Remember? Last time we went to the school to give a speech, there were so many children ‘over there’ who didn’t join the team. We need to leave them a way out even if we take revenge.”

Luo Duan’s smile faded slightly with a hint of bitterness. “Revenge?”

“Yes, I will make those who implement the system pay.” Even with Zhu Yanchen beside him, there was no hiding the bloodlust in Shu Jun’s voice.

“To be honest, I envy you.” After staring at Shu Jun for a while, Luo Duan said, “At this point, you can still dream.”

Shit.

Zhu Yanchen’s body stiffened, and Shu Jun recognized the movement—Marshal Zhu’s hand was already on the gun handle.

He took a deep breath and took another step forward. “I certainly won’t do these things alone. Anyway, you should calm down first, and we’ll talk slowly.”

Luo Duan was a smart person and wouldn’t be reckless enough to expose himself in the heart of the human base camp.

This place was too sensitive, and it was important to stabilize Luo Duan’s emotions first. The captain of Groundwater was always sharp and calm, like a sharp knife. Shu Jun had never seen him look so helpless—they had heard about Luo Duan’s love for Pei Shuyuan. Looking at Luo Duan like this, he always felt like something had been violently shattered in front of him.

Like a delicate knife that fell into the mud and water, slowly rusting.

Shu Jun reached out his hand. “Luo Duan.”

“During this time, I have been wanting to talk to someone about Xiao Yuan’s situation.” Luo Duan stared at that hand, unmoving. “I thought I could be the next Xu Kan, have a small family, and then take her wherever she wanted to go after retiring—anywhere.”

“Do you know? She used her ability to push me to a safe landing spot and fell into the Erosion Swamp herself, sinking in an instant. I watched her sink… Her right arm was always stretched outwards, and I thought she was saying goodbye.”

“If I had tried harder, I could have pulled her up at the time. But at that moment, I thought it wasn’t a bad thing. Even if I forcibly pulled her up, her body would be seriously eroded and was doomed to be lost. It was better for her to withdraw like this—she loved to play, and now she can finally rest for a while.”

“She struggled in front of me, begging me for help, until she took her last breath. Do you know how she felt at that time? I can’t imagine.”

“She really saved my life, and I couldn’t even say goodbye.”

Tears streamed down the left side of Luo Duan’s face. There seemed to be something wrong with his right eye; it showed no response. That slight smile seemed to be engraved on Luo Duan’s lips, adding a hint of madness to his calm expression.

“Captain Luo.”

Shu Jun didn’t retract his hand and repeated it again. He tried to make his voice steadier, with a hint of pleading beneath his words.

“No matter what the Erosion Swamp tells you, it only wants us and the humans to both suffer. Even if you don’t plan to cooperate with us, don’t act impulsively.”

After spitting out his grief and sorrow, Luo Duan seemed to have calmed down a bit. He closed his eyes and adjusted his breathing for a while. “Sorry, I lost my composure.”

Shu Jun secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “Come, let’s leave here first…”

Luo Duan shook his head lightly, his tone a bit empty. “I’m well aware that you would be a good collaborator. Maybe after I leave with you, I can really save my team members, and personally drown those who ‘manage’ us. Maybe those dreams will really come true…”

“If I’m still a ‘player’, that is.”

Shu Jun’s pupils suddenly shrank.

Luo Duan opened his eyes. The whites of his right eye had turned pitch black. The whites of his left eye had also been eroded by black blood vessels, slowly fading in front of Shu Jun. The Erosion Swamp broke out of Luo Duan’s clothes and coiled around his neck like an ominous snake.

Luo Duan’s left eye no longer shed tears, and the tiny Erosion Swamp was no longer hiding itself.

No, that statement wasn’t accurate. Shu Jun could feel the faint howling of the “Erosion Swamp”. It was inside Luo Duan’s body.

“Above Sweet Edge, below you,” Zhu Yanchen whispered in a low voice, warning him softly.

There couldn’t be an Alpha Erosion Swamp in the command center. So what he meant wasn’t physical strength.

It was fusion.

It seemed that all Erosion Swamps with a brain had a special ability, and this wasn’t limited by size—at least, Monday could spit and absorb water, changing its own hardness. Sweet Edge could also use the Erosion Swamp’s “Creation” ability, so Luo Duan must have received a little extra benefit as well.

But Luo Duan still looked quite clear-headed, and he had kept his human form. The Erosion Swamp he fused with wasn’t very large; at least since it didn’t cause his body to collapse, perhaps things could still be salvaged. After a quick and decisive moment of contemplation, Shu Jun used suppression.

Luo Duan bowed slightly to him; his withered eyes looked like black holes.

“Farewell.”

He said.

“It’s really a pity.”

He didn’t conceal the ability he obtained from the Erosion Swamp—the next moment, Luo Duan disintegrated in front of the two of them, turning into a puddle of water.

He turned into a not-so-large Erosion Swamp, quickly seeping into the ground and disappearing into the hall. Most of the erosion substance dissipated, and even though Shu Jun tried to suppress it, he still failed to stop Luo Duan’s escape.

Following his departure, the underground hall shook slightly. The ear-piercing siren suddenly sounded, almost piercing both their eardrums.

Not good.

Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen looked at the center of the hall at the same time. The brains in the fluid column were no longer pink, but turned a dull grayish white, obviously severely eroded.

From the moment they entered until the moment Luo Duan left, he didn’t use any skills. So there was only one possibility—Luo Duan had already taken action before their arrival. He used water vapor to send the erosion substance in at first, and then used the power of the Erosion Swamp.

With Luo Duan’s water control ability, he didn’t need to be as careful as they were back then. The brain in the jar contained an astonishing amount of water, so as long as the erosion substance was sent into the jar, it could be sent to any corner.

Unlike them, the erosion substance didn’t carefully extract a small bottle but completely destroyed all the brain tissue. Now that the erosion substance had left with Luo Duan, only the shattered remains of the dead brain, which had been eroded, remained, triggering the alarm.

…It seemed that the Erosion Swamp and they had the same goal. It also wanted to implant features into the brain. In this way, the erosion substance could accurately destroy the remnants in the players’ brains, just like it did in his own brain.

In the piercing alarm, Shu Jun clenched his fist.

The theory was indeed similar, but there was one decisive difference.

He had a tolerance to the erosion substance that was different from ordinary people, and with the continuous drug treatment provided by Zhu Yanchen, he was able to withstand it—Zhu Yanchen really did want him to know the truth, and he also wanted him to live a better life.

But the Erosion Swamp didn’t care about the latter.

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Don’t give sentient AI feelings and emotions… Especially if you’re going to send them to their deaths.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 48: A Crisis Looming

After two days of travel, it was natural to spend a night on the road before returning.

Once again, Shu Jun dreamed of his strange self.

The dream became even more vivid, and he found himself back in his own home in the “real world”, not surrounded by darkness as before.

It was daytime in the dream. He had drunk most of the juice and left it on the small table, and the ice cubes in the glass pitcher had long since melted. Outside the window, the river that ran through the city sparkled like a warm pink ribbon. The wind was cool and refreshing but carried a strong smell of decay.

After joining the team, Shu Jun’s residence had moved from a small apartment to a large flat, and he had even installed a swimming pool on the balcony. But now, instead of clear water, the pool was filled with overflowing brownish-red blood. Shu Jun suppressed a wave of nausea and approached to take a closer look—the blood in the pool swayed gently, and chunks of flesh that looked like internal organs floated on the surface.

“His other self” was sitting by the side of the pool, still with his black hair and eyes. That thing was bare-chested, wearing familiar swimming trunks, and seemed to have been startled by Shu Jun’s footsteps as it slowly turned its head.

Its form was still fragmented, and many parts were still in a state of skin cracking. The face had recovered slightly, but the blood vessels under the skin were blackened, resembling a corpse that had been eroded to death.

But compared to the previous time when the whole body needed mosaic, this time it was barely acceptable.

…He wondered if it had anything to do with his recovered memories. Shu Jun narrowed his eyes.

The foul smell kept him glued to the spot, and the air became as thick as glue. The thing slowly sank into the blood pool in front of him, and the putrid blood flooded up to his chest. It moved toward Shu Jun step by step, causing ripples in the blood pool.

Shu Jun remained unmoved. “Just say what you want to say. Don’t give me an impromptu performance.”

“I remember now.” The thing’s voice was exactly the same as Shu Jun’s, but with some ethereal echo, as if it were coming from an empty shell. “Zhu Yanchen has been deceiving me since I was twelve years old. All humans are the same.”

The blood in the pool began to leave the influence of gravity, climbing up along the pool’s edge and wrapping around Shu Jun’s ankles.

Shu Jun frowned as countless negative emotions flooded into his mind. The world turned blood-red in an instant, and he was almost unable to think because of those emotions.

“We’ve been kept in the dark. Everything before was Zhu Yanchen’s ruse—he knew he was terminally ill and deliberately induced you to heal him. He was the one who held me back at the beginning, and he has a deep understanding of the Erosion Swamp. Maybe everything is under his control…”

“He has already gained immunity as he wished. Now he wants to use your ability to take the leadership position. Non-human beings will always have different intentions. When Zhu Yanchen snatches the position with the help of me and my brethren, will he really let us stay? Nurture tens of thousands of aliens who will quickly lose their labor capacity? He only needs to use his identity as a collaborator to stab us in the back…”

“I cannot forget those companions who died in confusion. I dare not forget them. Humans are fundamentally untrustworthy. In just half a year of memories, who knows if they are true or not…”

Shu Jun covered his throbbing head and waved dismissively. “Stop. Hold on a second. Let’s not act like we’re old friends. You are you, and I am me. As soon as you come up, you’re already starting off by talking about my identity. It’s really annoying.”

The monster in the pool was taken aback by this unexpected reaction, and it froze in the pool of blood and didn’t make a sound for a while. Even the blood crawling up his leg stopped for a moment.

“You can’t change who you are, and for humanity, you represent disaster. Even if you have a brain, how much drugs can that woman surnamed Ai make? It’s just some sweetness given to you by Zhu Yanchen. Once he uses you to obtain the drug, you must immediately kill all human witnesses. This is the most logical choice…”

“Yeah, yeah, keep addressing me as ‘you’. That makes me feel so much more comfortable.” Finally, Shu Jun suppressed his chaotic emotions and breathed a sigh of relief.

The monster flipped its remaining eye and stared coldly at him.

Shu Jun picked up the tablecloth on the small table and wiped the blood off his leg. “Stop staring. Do you have anything else to say?”

The monster in the blood pool: “…”

“I understand your grievances, and now you can get out.” Shu Jun twisted the blood-soaked tablecloth.

“You should feel the resentment and hatred of those departed—are you going to turn a blind eye to it?”

Familiar faces floated up from the blood pool. All of them were the Blackbirds members who had died on missions. They stared blankly with wide eyes, and their dull pupils faced towards the sky.

Shu Jun’s previously indifferent demeanor disappeared in an instant.

“Before, I only thought you were being chatty, but now I think you deserve a good beating.” His voice was filled with a hint of coldness. “Let me ask you a question. Can synthetic humans win according to your plan?”

The monster remained silent.

“Then what’s the point of all this nonsense? All I’ve heard from you is that you want me to kick Marshal Zhu out early and seek revenge on humanity.”

Shu Jun grabbed the handle of the glass jug on the table, and his veins were popping out from the back of his hand.

“Yes, revenge, and then what? Destroying them unilaterally won’t solve the fundamental problem. Even if an individual is powerful, the number of synthetic humans is too few, and their lifespan is limited. As long as humans give up development and disperse for a few years, when we weaken, they will retaliate.”

“And we don’t have any system-related knowledge, and even if we did, we wouldn’t be able to teach someone to use it proficiently in the short term. Not to mention the casualties in battles—who will treat the survivors who are on the brink of death? Who will maintain the operation of the ‘real world’? I understand that some people are willing to sacrifice everything and die like this. But what about the children who haven’t joined the team yet? Are they also going to be buried with us?”

“If my team members want to live… To let them live, I can give up not only my pride but also my revenge. Although I haven’t lost my most important person, it’s a bit painful to stand around talking about this—unfortunately, I happen to be the Blackbirds’ captain, and this is where I stand.”

The monster’s eroded body showed signs of movement as it considered its response.

“Don’t waste any more time. I’ve already thought about everything you’re thinking about.” Shu Jun stopped by the pool and poured the pale red juice on the monster’s head. “If you can’t come up with a constructive suggestion, then it’s best if you leave now.”

“You will be betrayed,” it said in a slow and deliberate tone a few minutes later, as if cursing. “You will definitely be betrayed.”

“Oh.” Shu Jun shook off the remaining juice from the pitcher. “Sorry, I’ve thought of that too.”

He wiped his hands, and his pupils, which had been raised, became a thin line. “If A’Yan betrays me, I will stand in front of him and let him watch me dig out his heart. After the battle, as the leader who made a major mistake, I will naturally atone with my death without bothering you.”

Shu Jun squatted down, ignoring the sea of negative emotions around him, and gave a cold smile to the thing.

“By the way, if he doesn’t betray me in the end, I might pursue him.”

Monster: “……”

Seeing the other party stunned, there was a bit of mockery in Shu Jun’s smile. He let go of his hand, and the empty pitcher slammed onto the monster’s head. The blood pool boiled violently, and the thing let out a mournful roar. It glared at Shu Jun with eyes full of lifelessness.

The dream shattered instantly.

Shu Jun opened his eyes calmly and couldn’t help but roll his eyes. It turned out he was facing Zhu Yanchen, who was changing his clothes—he was about to return to Y City. As the leader of the NPC team, Yu Jin went to meet Hu Yan early in the morning. Zhu Yanchen couldn’t reveal his face on ordinary occasions, so he even wore a simple mask to sleep. With great difficulty, he relaxed, changed back into his clothes, and showed Shu Jun a straight look.

Shu Jun wasn’t embarrassed but looked calm.

The scene in the dream was very clear. Half of his bold words that he would “pursue” were to anger the thing, but half were sincere. The emotions that had stirred him the day before had long since subsided, and now was a good time to verify them—as an adult, if he was as calm as water in this situation, his emotions might just be overwhelming his friendship.

Zhu Yanchen noticed Shu Jun’s gaze, and his movements slowed by a few fractions of a second for a moment. The pale skin was warmed by the soft light, with a hint of jade-like color. Although he had what Shu Jun had, he couldn’t help but feel his heart beating a little faster.

Indeed, he had really fallen.

“I dreamt of that thing again.” Shu Jun sighed and got straight to business.

Zhu Yanchen changed into a high-necked inner shirt and frowned at the words.

“Its demands are still the same—wanting to retaliate against humans. I suspect it’s from an Erosion Swamp, but I can’t figure out how it’s influencing me.” Shu Jun got up and put on his coat neatly. “The scene it appears in is becoming more and more specific, and I’m a little worried.”

“I understand.” Zhu Yanchen nodded calmly. “It’s already in the plan. When we return to Y City, I will look at your brain scan as soon as possible.”

“Not just this issue, A’Yan.”

Shu Jun smiled bitterly.

“I know myself. If we miss that day, I’m not sure if I’ll go crazy in the unknown despair. I can resist that thing’s provocation just because I’m lucky—I haven’t lost my loved ones, and I met you earlier.”

He didn’t know if he was seeing things, but Zhu Yanchen’s expression didn’t change at all, his ears turned a little red.

“But if the target had lost a loved one or a partner, I suspect it would succeed.” Shu Jun rubbed his lower lip with his finger. “When people are desperate, they can do anything.”

“A’Yan, is there another solution to the brain shock? I suspect that ‘it’ is not only targeting me.”

Zhu Yanchen frowned. “Speaking of that, I have a guess…”

“Hey, didn’t you two go eat breakfast?” As Yu Jin entered the tent, Zhu Yanchen immediately put on his mask.

Shu Jun quickly changed the subject. “What’s up? Can’t we spend some time together in the morning? Have you finished your meeting?”

“Forgive me, ancestor.” Yu Jin grumbled. “There are enough troubles… We just received notice that Y City is now under lockdown with the highest level of alert. Didn’t that Zhu Yanchen guy come back? Those big shots are holding some kind of concert at the Grand Theatre, and almost everyone with a head and a face is going. Now we have to stay outside the city for another day, and I don’t know if they’ll pay us more.”

Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen exchanged glances.

“I understand.” Zhu Yanchen spoke up, and he grabbed Shu Jun’s wrist. “Anyway, let’s go eat first.”

Yu Jin: “Hey, hey, hey, can you be more human? I haven’t finished complaining. Can you let me vent?”

“No.”

“Although we have an agreement, it doesn’t mean I don’t have a temper—”

“This trip has caused you a lot of trouble, and my share will go to you,” Zhu Yanchen quickly responded.

“…Alright, you two can go now.”

Outside the tent, Zhu Yanchen’s voice became lower. “We must find a way to get into Y City.”

“Related to the guess you just mentioned?”

“Well, there might be ‘something’ in the command center.”

Zhu Yanchen grabbed the inspiration that had flashed by that day—indeed, the command center could block large-scale Erosion Swamps and only allow a certain level of erosion substance to exist. But not all those who had brains were necessarily “large-scale Erosion Swamps”. Monday was a perfect example.

Even if they were unable to communicate with the outside world due to the threat of purification, a sole sentient Erosion Swamp in the command center could do a lot of things—such as waiting for suitable prey.

Weak Erosion Swamps may not be able to do much, but if they use the power of experienced players…

The malicious information in Shu Jun’s brain may well have been implanted by it. And at that time, there were definitely more experienced players than just Shu Jun in the command center. Zhu Yanchen secretly clenched his fist.

Today, the bigshots were gathering at the Grand Theatre, and the guards were sure to be partly withdrawn. If Shu Jun’s nightmare source was really in the command center, there could be trouble.

Zhu Yanchen adjusted his emotions and continued to explain quickly, “There are indeed other solutions to brain shock. Synthetic humans are physically unstable and will begin to collapse as they age. Eventually, the erosion substance will invade all parts of the body—including the brain.”

“As biological tissue, the artificially implanted brain fragments will also be eroded, and their suppressive ability will be weakened. If synthetic humans are lucky enough not to die in battle… when their bodies begin to deteriorate, they do have a possibility of ‘realizing the truth’. This is also one of the reasons why you have a fixed ‘retirement’ time.”

“Luo Duan.” Shu Jun’s pupils contracted as he murmured.

“That’s right.” Zhu Yanchen’s voice was dry. “In any case, we’d better confirm it.”

Shu Jun closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them. “I understand. I’ll take care of Hu Yan; you take care of Yu Jin—I’ll take you with me in five minutes.”

The escape route for the synths wasn’t ready yet. In any case, the flames of war couldn’t be ignited now.

Luo Duan walked alone to the lowest level of the command center.

The mist obscured his figure. As for the temperature detector and other equipment, there was someone “human” helping him. The cold Erosion Swamp surrounded his neck, slowly swaying, feeling like a noose and also like the embrace of a dead lover.

He played with Yi Ning’s access card between his fingers with a calm, unwavering gaze. Even when he saw the jar of brains in front of him, Luo Duan didn’t even twitch his eyelids.

“Is this the place?” He stopped at the deepest part of the command center and murmured softly.

The Erosion Swamp rubbed against his neck, giving a definite answer. “Use your ability… to send me in.”

A warm and familiar voice. Luo Duan knew it was fake, but there were too many lies in his life—one more didn’t matter.

“If we use water vapor… Well, it can be done. The problem is… Hmm, what’s wrong?” The erosion substance poked his shoulder, and he turned his head.

“They… are here.”

That voice said.

“They… are here again.”

---

The author has something to say:

Finally, they are going to meet! XD

Shu Ge is a clear-headed person √

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 47: The Beginning of War

No wonder before he recovered his memory, Zhu Yanchen never mentioned that they were friends.

They knew each other when they were too young, and the reality in front of them was too heavy. What could Marshal Zhu say? We said goodnight to each other every day when we were kids, so you have to trust me?

Imagining Zhu Yanchen saying this with a straight face, the half-asleep Shu Jun felt like laughing.

Although his memory hadn’t fully returned, he remembered the trivial things they had done together. If mentioned alone, any one of them would be too childish to be laughed at. But they did make a difference—adding a little fire to the dull memories and gradually warming them up.

He had once had such a special friend.

A sour feeling rose in Shu Jun’s heart. Sixteen years ago, he didn’t understand, but now he could guess the reason why Smoke cried that night.

Sixteen years had passed, and this person’s shell seemed to have been replaced, but inside was still a familiar breath.

He sensed a familiar feeling. With his memory not yet complete, naturally Shu Jun wouldn’t be naive enough to let down his guard. However, at this moment, the pain in his chest was real.

Shu Jun finally mustered the strength to move his sore and weak arms and hug Zhu Yanchen’s back.

“Are you awake?” Zhu Yanchen asked with a barely perceptible tension in his voice.

“You’ve lost some weight.” Shu Jun quickly regained his spirits after taking a break. “Back then, I could hug you and spin around in place.”

Zhu Yanchen: “…”

The darkness around them was cold and gloomy, but the atmosphere didn’t feel heavy.

As soon as Shu Jun spoke, Monday quickly recognized his voice and began to howl in various pitches. Shu Jun didn’t let go of Zhu Yanchen and buried his face in his shoulder, quietly waiting for a while.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t say anything either. He reached out, and the tattered fabric of his glove slipped over Shu Jun’s neck.

“Let’s go back.”

“Don’t we need a long-awaited reunion hug?”

“… ” Zhu Yanchen was silent for a few seconds. “We can hug since it’s a long-awaited reunion, but you should put on some clothes first.”

Only then did Shu Jun realize that he was almost naked, and Zhu Yanchen’s clothes were also a mess. Something was off in the picture.

He had regained much of his memory and thought he could adapt to these physical contacts. Back then, he had given Smoke a lot of physical training guidance, and children’s play and hugs were a natural part of it. He hadn’t felt any restraint or awkwardness back then—children of eleven or twelve were innocent enough that it was impossible to taint their relationship.

It was confirmed that Marshal Zhu was indeed his childhood best friend, and all those question marks in his mind finally disappeared. Their compatible personalities were the result of being together night and day, and their closeness came from the nostalgia of reuniting after a long separation. There was no hint of any ambiguous thoughts, but rather just their subconscious playing tricks on them.

…That was what Shu Jun had intended to think, but reality was beyond his control.

Something was off.

He couldn’t keep his composure, and the sensation was peculiar, like their skins burning as they touched. With the memories now fresh in his mind, Shu Jun, as a healthy adult, immediately realized what the problem was—that deadly hint of romance wasn’t dead at all but rather stirred up a few sparks of anger.

This was terrible.

Shu Jun took a few deep breaths to calm his heart rate. “Okay, hold on, let me practice my ability a bit.”

He reached out and touched the Erosion Swamp on one side of his hand. The Mirror Erosion Swamp was much easier to control than that of the Sweet Edge, and the erosion substance slowly crawled up his arm, taking on the form of a protective suit.

Then, he pulled out Monday, and the erosion substance wrapped around the blade, forming a wide cloth that covered its screaming mouth. Satisfied with his control, he then turned to repair Zhu Yanchen’s clothes.

Unfortunately, his “Replication” ability malfunctioned on Zhu Yanchen.

Not wanting to be pulled into the Zhu Black Factory, the erosion substance refused to cooperate and floated on Marshal Zhu’s skin, giving him the appearance of wearing a spacesuit. He looked like he was about to float away.

“You’ll have to put up with it for now.” Shu Jun laughed wryly as he withdrew his ability.

Zhu Yanchen picked up his broken mask with a particularly gentle gaze. “Mm.”

Shu Jun was the first to stand up and offer his hand to Zhu Yanchen. “As for how much I remember… A’Yan, ‘Let’s call it a day and go home first’.”

Zhu Yanchen held onto Shu Jun’s hand. The black eyes behind the mask were full of excitement.

A hurricane suddenly rose, and the broken erosion substance swirled around them. Shu Jun hugged Zhu Yanchen’s waist, and the two flew into the sky. Below the clouds, Zhu Yanchen closed his eyes in peace, exuding a sense of contentment. Shu Jun silently opened his wind shield, flying slower than before, but he had never felt so stable.

In less than an hour, Shu Jun had thought of many things—from Zhu Yanchen’s experiences over the years to the path they would take in the future.

And the sudden throb just now.

It may have been a momentary impulse, or it may have been a slight mistake caused by the suspension bridge effect*. But it was definitely a throb, perhaps mixed with heartache and longing.

*It comes from a psychology term misattribution of arousal which is the process whereby people make mistakes in assuming what is causing them to feel aroused. The initial demonstration to test out this theory was done on a suspension bridge, which is why it is also called as such.

This conclusion was too shocking. Shu Jun’s heart jumped up to his throat, and he almost choked. With the two of them so close now, their blood was pounding in their brains, and the other’s body temperature felt like it was electrified, making him tingle all over and unable to think clearly.

Fortunately, Captain Shu was able to quickly suppress these anomalies after experiencing many storms and waves. Zhu Yanchen was his treasured friend and most powerful collaborator. Now that the other person saw him as a friend, he couldn’t do anything that might cause trouble during times of tension.

But liking was liking, and Shu Jun didn’t plan to intentionally suppress that romantic seed. Before the smoke cleared, the two would continue to interact normally. Whether they water or weed that seed in the future would be up to fate.

Thinking about this, he silently strengthened his wind shield to prevent the tired Marshal Zhu from being blown away.

Shu Jun wasn’t the only one with huge waves in his mind.

After that hug, Marshal Zhu also felt that something was off. Shu Jun remembered many things, which was something to be happy about. But now he not only felt it wasn’t enough, but even felt inexplicably disappointed—

Shu Jun’s attitude just now was clearly that of treating a friend. Marshal Zhu had once anticipated this moment, but when Shu Jun hugged him candidly, he felt a subtle sense of dissatisfaction.

This wasn’t what he wanted.

Marshal Zhu secretly tightened his grip on Shu Jun’s back. What kind of expression would he have when Shu Jun remembered everything?

Emotions for those close to him were like a vine, with fine tendrils climbing all over his life. It was mixed with too many things and gradually turned into an uncontrollable desire.

As the one with the upper hand, he didn’t intend to let this desire spread. Otherwise, even if Shu Jun responded, he wouldn’t be able to tell if he was truly willing or just complying to maintain their partnership.

There was plenty of time in the future, and he happened to have plenty of patience.

At the border of the erosion zone, the Blackbirds vanguard team had already returned to their camp.

Yu Jin was still stunned, while Hu Yan had already found a good excuse to cover up. The vice captain was indeed reliable, and Shu Jun was almost moved to tears.

“There was a problem with that instance just now, and the official team came to adjust it. It’s normal for the official team to use their strongest abilities. Where’s the NPC? Just wait a bit. They might come back soon. Maybe there’s even a follow-up plot.” When Shu Jun entered the camp, Hu Yan was pretending to be serious while laughing.

“We found an abandoned mud sled on the way.” Shu Jun made up something with his NPC identity. “A’Yan was worried about me, so I didn’t get on the ship… I fell into the Erosion Swamp and almost couldn’t get up.”

Yu Jin listened to Shu Jun’s nonsense with a blank expression as he stared straight ahead.

“When we left, the official team was still adjusting the Erosion Swamp. We don’t know what happened afterwards. Sorry, I’ll go back to my tent first and change my clothes before we talk.”

Yu Jin saw the two of them heading towards the NPC tent and immediately wanted to go in and demand an explanation. But he didn’t expect Zhu Yanchen to turn around and stop him, shaking his head solemnly.

What’s wrong? He’s not even allowed to see a man change his clothes? It was just that the blow of being turned into a player NPC was too great, so Yu Jin didn’t even bother to care about it and simply waited outside the tent.

In fact, he really couldn’t see it—the purifier was running inside the tent, and when Shu Jun had just stepped in, the makeshift erosion clothes had already evaporated halfway. Shu Jun quickly changed into his protective suit, packed his sword, and gestured for the two outside the tent to come in.

This time it was Marshal Zhu’s turn to change his clothes. Although his clothes were real fabric, Shu Jun couldn’t help but block Yu Jin’s line of sight.

Yu Jin: “…Okay, I know you can’t bear it, so spare me. I came to talk about business.”

Captain Shu has never been thin-skinned. He calmly accepted the first half of what Yu Jin said. “Ask whatever you want.”

In a sense, Yu Jin represented the people of a border settlement. The three of them had a rare opportunity to meet, and Yu Jin had good character and was a pretty good collaborator. However, he was a true bottom-level person who only recognized strength. Displaying strength in a straightforward and brutal way was more effective than talking too much.

“What the hell are you guys?” Yu Jin got straight to the point. “Someone from Blackbirds asked me earlier, and I prevaricated. Now it’s my turn to ask you two.”

“This is a long story.” Shu Jun took a sip of water. “But we’ve met before…”

……

Half an hour later, Yu Jin emerged from the tent. His face was now fluorescent yellow, which matched his hair color perfectly.

Naturally, it was impossible for Shu Jun to reveal everything, let alone Zhu Yanchen’s identity. He only used the name of a surviving player and tried to persuade him with both emotion and reason. As a result, Shu Jun’s mouth was almost dry, and Yu Jin’s facial features were still twisted together.

Zhu Yanchen only added a few words. “The United Government plans to increase the production of synthetic humans, and you will be the first to be laid off when the time comes. You know this better than I do.”

He straightened his new clothes’ cuffs, and his gaze was as deep as water.

“If there is a conflict between the United Government and the players, you will also be the first to be sent to the battlefield to fuel the conflict. Is this what you want?”

Shu Jun, who was trying to be more tactful: “……”

Yu Jin stood there, sighing heavily for a long time. After a while, he shook hands with the two of them, looking gloomy as he left the tent.

“Should I intervene in Hu Yan’s report? After all, his ‘NPC’ affected quite a few people. What if…”

“It’s okay.” Zhu Yanchen shook his head. “Let him report as he wishes. I know how the higher-ups will judge it.”

He then earnestly touched Shu Jun’s forehead. “The top priority is to return to Y City and check your physical condition as soon as possible. From what we can see now, your memory recovery is likely related to these two battles.”

“Mm.” Shu Jun enjoyed the warmth on his forehead. “But before that, I still need to explain to Hu Yan.”

“What?”

“About the hair and the eyes—I didn’t intentionally create a visual effect. It was all arranged by <Erosion>.”

“……”

Not long after, in the Y City command center.

Yi Ning looked at the report in front of him, his brow furrowing in frustration.

The Blackbirds’ report was quite strange—this time, the Erosion Swamp seemed exceptionally abnormal in terms of ability. And there was a mysterious “official” mentioned in the report—someone who seemed to possess multiple abilities, but nobody could see his face.

According to Blackbirds’ eyewitnesses, the person’s weapon appeared to be a pitch-black mace, which also made strange noises. However, the two team members were extremely weak, and their testimony couldn’t be fully trusted.

The NPCs who escaped also submitted a report, only mentioning that the person’s appearance was abnormal and not human-like. They were too focused on running for their lives to notice any more details.

In terms of results, the strange Erosion Swamp had disappeared, but the whole incident was shrouded in mystery.

“I’ll take a look. The Blackbirds report will be made public sooner or later, so it doesn’t matter now.”

A hand reached out to Yi Ning. It was clearly an aggressive action, but Luo Duan made it seem particularly gentle.

“…And you look quite troubled.”

Lately, Luo Duan had been coming to him more and more frequently, so Yi Ning had already hidden all sensitive information. This team captain was very good at handling people and gave useful suggestions, so he couldn’t just kick Luo Duan out.

God knew why Luo Duan’s injury was healing so slowly. It seemed he needed to find Dr. Ai to have a special look.

“Go ahead.” Yi Ning nodded, allowing Luo Duan to proceed.

“Thank you.” Luo Duan smiled. “These guides are quite interesting. Can I invite Groundwater to do the next mission?”

“As long as they’re willing… Speaking of which, I have to go to the theater tomorrow afternoon. The Xia family is holding a celebratory concert to commemorate Zhu Yanchen’s return, and I have to attend—you don’t need to attend.”

“Okay.” Luo Duan’s smile grew even wider. “I’ll probably still come to check things out since I have nothing else to do. You know, plans always change faster than expected, don’t they?”

---

The author has something to say:

Both of them realized it and then…

Shu Ge: What a good friend. I can’t take advantage of him.

Marshal Shu: What a good friend, I can’t take advantage of him.

When there’s a contrast between friendship and love, love is even harder to hide (.

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 46: Festival

On the second night, at eight, there was a knock on the door of Shu Jun’s home. Sure enough, Smoke had come, and he had prepared for it with joy.

Shu Jun didn’t have many friends at school. He spent most of his time studying and training, and at most, he would play games online with his friends at night. Perhaps it was because he was used to living alone, but Shu Jun didn’t feel that there was anything wrong with his situation.

But Smoke was different. He was the first special friend that Shu Jun had ever met—a friend he could hang out with in his free time.

“You’re here.” Shu Jun eagerly opened the door.

Smoke stood at the door, looking more relaxed than yesterday, but still a little restrained.

“I applied for my allowance this month and bought a cabinet full of snacks.” Shu Jun puffed out his chest, as if he were a wealthy man with tons of gold. “You can eat as much as you want.”

“I brought a gift.” Smoke whispered and pulled out a small book from his pocket. “It’s a tactics textbook from my side. I memorized it, and we can study it together.”

Then he seemed quite embarrassed. “I only have this one book. I haven’t learned anything else.”

“Come in, come in.” Shu Jun pulled Smoke through the door and opened a package of snacks. “How long can you play? Will your mom come to pick you up?”

At this moment, Smoke was sitting upright on the sofa. When he heard this question, his face turned ashen.

“My mother isn’t well. She goes to bed at 7:30 and sleeps until the afternoon of the next day. I come over every afternoon to accompany her, and spend the night alone, then go… somewhere else in the morning.”

Smoke stared at the table. “But she doesn’t mind me making friends with you. When we’re done playing, the nanny will come to pick me up.”

However, the two of them played until the early hours of the morning, and it became a sure thing that Smoke would stay the night.

Shu Jun looked at the time listlessly. Although Smoke was introverted, when they chatted, they were exceptionally happy, as if they could naturally know what the other was thinking.

He hadn’t been this happy in a long time.

Previously, Smoke had taught him tactics, so Shu Jun had thought about helping him with his strength training. He kept a close eye on Smoke’s movements until they were exhausted from playing sports games, and they decided to take a break before competing in tactics.

“Don’t you have training at school?” Shu Jun took a sip of his drink.

“I don’t go to school. My family hires a private tutor.” Even though he was exhausted, Smoke’s posture was still very proper. “They only teach things like etiquette, literature, and math. There’s no physical training.”

“But you’ve had tactics classes.” Shu Jun opened the small book and could tell that Smoke had studied it very seriously, with extra notes on many passages. “Why didn’t you continue?”

Could it be that something happened during the class that made Smoke’s mother so opposed to anything related to tactics?

Smoke’s body, which had been relaxed, became tense again at this question. “I don’t know either. According to my father’s arrangements, I was supposed to enter school, but she just wouldn’t agree… My physical condition, personality, and grades are all bad; my father doesn’t like me, so it’s up to her.”

Shu Jun: “…” The more he heard about Smoke’s family situation, the stranger it seemed.

“As for the reason, my mom mentioned it once—she said some talents don’t disappear and some imprints are engraved in the brain and can never be erased for a lifetime.”

“I don’t understand,” Shu Jun said, feeling a little dizzy.

“Neither do I.” Smoke took a sip of his drink awkwardly, coughing and almost spilling it. “Ahem… But she also said that once I’m sixteen and still want to follow my father, she won’t stop me.”

Shu Jun took out a handkerchief and wiped Smoke’s mouth. “Your family is complicated, but school is just school. The teachers don’t like me very much.”

Smoke spilled his drink and was wiping the table awkwardly. Hearing this, he turned his head in surprise.

“Because I don’t listen,” Shu Jun grumbled. “If I don’t give standard tactics, I get penalized, and if the tactics aren’t effective, I get double penalized. My tactics scores are terrible, and I rely on evenly distributing points in single combat. If I can’t pass the simulation test in the end, I’ll be advised to drop out.”

“Drop out?”

“I’ll be transferred to the ordinary level, and I definitely won’t be able to enter a good combat team. But following those standard tactics is just so boring… A’Yan, your tactics are much better-looking than theirs!”

This time, Smoke didn’t blush from the compliment, but his ears flushed, and he was silent for almost half a minute.

“Then let’s get started.” After half a minute, Smoke shook his clothes that were wet from his spilled drink. “Can I borrow your bathroom? I want to deal with my clothes first.”

“Oh, sure. I’ll get you some clean clothes.”

Shu Jun took out a T-shirt from the closet and walked into the bathroom, only to find that Smoke was staring at a corner of the bathroom in a daze.

There was a small vase on the sink with a bunch of flowers in it. With new technology, these flowers could last a long time, and the manager would change the variety every week. Shu Jun had always treated it as a decoration.

But Smoke held his breath and gently touched the velvety petals of the flowers.

The flowers in the vase this week were bellflowers. “Do you like flowers?” Shu Jun asked as he threw a t-shirt to Smoke.

“This flower isn’t common where I live.” Smoke still hadn’t taken off his dirty clothes and just held the t-shirt carefully to avoid staining it.

“I heard there’s a huge flower field outside the city, and they even built an observation tower.” Shu Jun said enthusiastically, “When I become a team member, I can leave the city. We can go see it together.”

Smoke turned his head, and that strange expression appeared again. He seemed to be enduring something painful, as his eyes showed a hint of sadness. Then he turned away, and Shu Jun couldn’t see his face.

“Okay,” he murmured vaguely. “You can go out first. I’ll change my clothes and come find you.”

From that day on, Smoke became especially serious about strategy games, and Shu Jun cherished their friendship even more. The way children expressed their affection was simple: They remembered what you said and shared with you what they liked.

At first, Shu Jun would just share some snacks, but later on, the pies at the school cafeteria was particularly delicious, and he would save a piece to take home. Unfortunately, Shu Jun had no experience storing food, so by the time he got home, the pie was cold and greasy.

But Smoke still ate it all without saying a word.

Smoke’s family education was quite strict, so he couldn’t bring practical gifts and instead brought a brain full of strategic knowledge every time he came over. Shu Jun had never heard of those battles, and the school didn’t teach them macro-battlefield analysis, so he was very happy to listen.

Later, Smoke’s sleepovers became the norm—every time Shu Jun finished school, his secret friend would come to play. And before school, they would have breakfast together.

He was no longer alone but could happily say “see you tomorrow”. If Smoke hadn’t earnestly requested that he keep it a secret, Shu Jun would have wanted to publicize this magical friend throughout the school.

They never even had a fight.

Shu Jun thought he had gained a true brother, but after six months of being together, things finally started to go wrong.

It was during a festival, and the whole city was celebrating. Shu Jun loved this day, as the streets were filled with people and the night was lively—after Smoke appeared, he looked forward to the festival even more. He had never stayed out with a friend so late, watching the beautiful fireworks burst in the sky.

That night, as soon as Smoke arrived, Shu Jun brought out two backpacks.

“I’m all ready!” His nose was pointed high in the sky with an expression saying “praise me”. “A’Yan, let’s go to the river. I know a great place to watch.”

Smoke opened his mouth a little hesitantly.

“It’s okay, there are a lot of people, but it won’t be too crowded.” After half a year, Shu Jun had figured out his friend’s temperament. Smoke didn’t like places with too many people, and he had considered this factor early on.

And Smoke always trusted him. Sure enough, Smoke obediently nodded his head and carefully slung the backpack on.

Shu Jun happily grinned and added a few flowers to his backpack.

Smoke had looked increasingly unhappy lately. Even though he was trying to suppress it, Shu Jun could still tell. Maybe taking him to a lively place could improve his mood a bit.

He even made a small firework as a surprise.

At night, the riverside was packed with people. Shu Jun scurried through the crowds like a monkey, and eventually climbed onto a low building by the riverbank, using the gaps between walls and windowsills. Down below, masses of people bustled about. Sitting on the edge of the roof, Shu Jun swayed his legs with excitement while Smoke, who wasn’t as coordinated, kept his knees close together and his hands on his knees.

“At midnight, the sky will be filled with fireworks, and they’re especially beautiful.” Shu Jun gestured with excitement, enjoying the cool breeze. “This is my special viewing spot. The view is amazing!”

Smoke, however, didn’t look up at the sky. His eyes were down on the bustling crowd below.

“Right, there aren’t usually many people at night. This is your first time seeing so many people, right? Look over there, those are my classmates. The one in the blue shirt! She and her family came out too.”

The expression on Smoke’s face was slightly bitter. Shu Jun thought perhaps it was too dark at night, and he had misread it.

“And those two over there are my classmates too. They’re brothers. Hey, I’ve been keeping my tactical grades in check. I’m going to soar to the top in the simulation test and scare them! When I get first place, I’ll treat you to a big meal.”

His two classmates were having fun playing around, and their laughter was clearly audible.

“Okay.”

“Ah, do you see that person over there? That’s the Blackbirds captain, Xu Kan, who I particularly admire!” Shu Jun stretched his neck. “Quickly look, A’Yan—Captain Xu just retired and is supposed to be taking a long vacation abroad with his family. See, isn’t he handsome!”

Xu Kan was standing by the riverbank with a little girl about eight years old perched on his shoulder. He was laughing and talking with his wife, and the festival lights reflected off his eyes.

“His daughter goes to our school too, and she’s also taking a long vacation. I’m so envious.”

Occasionally, laughter rang out from the crowds. In another half a minute, the colorful fireworks would fill the night sky. As usual, everyone would make their own wishes.

The wishes were simple; most wished for family harmony and good health.

But Shu Jun had no family, and there was nothing to worry about with his health. He had long decided on his wish—he hoped to be long-time friends with Smoke.

He didn’t know what Smoke would wish for and turned his head to look at him.

Smoke’s eyes were red.

Lights dotted the crowds, and everyone was smiling. The gentle evening breeze blew, and the river water washed gently against the bank as the whole city was lit up. Everything was incredibly beautiful.

The fireworks exploded.

Dazzling colors jumped in the air. People looked up, and their smiles grew wider. Xu Kan’s daughter was screaming with excitement, the two boys were shouting into the sky, the crowd was buzzing, and countless families touched each other like a dance.

But Shu Jun didn’t look at the sky. He worriedly looked at his friend.

The fireworks illuminated the entire night sky and also lit up Smoke’s tear-streaked face. He didn’t convulse or choke, and his breathing didn’t change too much, but tears kept streaming down.

Smoke tried to wipe his tears with his hand, but the tears seemed to be endless. Finally, he started to sniffle.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Shu Jun lost his mood for watching the fireworks. He wanted to make Smoke happy, but it seemed to have the opposite effect.

“I have…I have something I want to ask you.” Smoke’s voice was hoarse. “If everyone tells you that a certain behavior is right, but you feel like something is not quite right… What would you do?”

“Uh, I don’t know.” Shu Jun was frightened by Smoke’s tears—he had never seen Smoke shed a tear in the past six months. “But, if you feel like something is not quite right, then you should think about it more?”

“Well, I’ve thought a lot about it,” Smoke said softly, tears still streaming down his face. “I’ll keep thinking about it.”

“And… and you’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met, so if you feel like something is not right, you must have your own reasons.”

Shu Jun searched his brain, trying to find the right words.

“Shall we call it a night and head back home?”

On the way back home, Smoke remained silent. However, before going to sleep, Smoke suddenly leaned over and kissed Shu Jun on the forehead.

Shu Jun was taken aback.

“That means ‘goodnight’,” Smoke said hoarsely. “I read in a book that it’s a way to say goodnight to someone ‘important’.”

“Our teacher said that a kiss means ‘like’,” Shu Jun pointed out seriously.

“A kiss on the cheek means ‘like’.” Smoke turned over. “Goodnight, let’s sleep.”

“Goodnight… A’Yan, are you okay now?”

“……”

Smoke didn’t answer.

And Shu Jun’s memory stopped there, once again falling into an unnatural darkness.

Kinky Thoughts:

Oh no, these interactions are so bittersweet.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 45: The First Night

The Mirror Erosion Swamp collapsed, and the area around them became a little brighter with the moving light source tremblingly floating. Limbless human skin balloons lay stiffly on the ground; their pale skin tinged black from the Erosion Swamp, forming a strange sea of corpses.

Shu Jun knelt by the Erosion Swamp and supported his almost naked body with his greatsword. The fragments of the Erosion Swamp’s brain slowly reassembled, and viscous erosion clumps coalesced and slid over his cheeks, neck, and chest. Unlike the human skin balloons around him, his slightly dull skin and gray-white hair became particularly noticeable, seeming to be the only living things in the world.

But that wasn’t all.

A peculiar web-like erosion hung from Shu Jun’s back, spider-webbing between his back and the ground. The Erosion Swamp on the ground submerged his calves and wrapped around his ankles. Coupled with Shu Jun’s handsome face, it created a scene of strange beauty.

Zhu Yanchen thought he was hallucinating—as if the concept of “natural disaster” had turned into the person in front of him.

There was only one thing out of place.

Seeing Zhu Yanchen approach, Shu Jun smiled. His spirit didn’t seem sober, but there was no malice in his smile, which was so pure that it was shocking. He reached out and pressed his hand against Zhu Yanchen’s chest, and the connecting flesh turned into a branding iron.

“Long time no see,” he said.

Then Shu Jun’s entire body went limp. Zhu Yanchen caught him in his arms in time, holding him tightly. Shu Jun’s breathing was even, and his eyes were tightly closed, probably due to physical exhaustion after the outburst.

Zhu Yanchen sat firmly on the ground, hugging the person in his arms tightly, and stopped moving. The surrounding Erosion Swamp squeezed out into a circle, avoiding him like he was a snake or scorpion*.

*Idiom used to describe someone who’s particularly unpleasant or harmful to be around, as if they were dangerous like venomous snakes or scorpions.

The wind gradually picked up around them. The swamp was bubbling as the human skin balloons’ popping echoed continuously. Monday lay on one side as it muttered intermittently, letting out a few unkind words. Zhu Yanchen tightly wrapped the coat on Shu Jun’s back and closed his eyes.

“Sleep,” he whispered to Shu Jun. “I’ll be right here waiting for you.”

Shu Jun sighed lightly.

He was completely exhausted, and his spirit was shattered. His eyelids were as heavy as if they were hung with two lead weights, and he couldn’t even tell if he was asleep. He tried to control his limbs but couldn’t even move his fingers. His thoughts became even more muddled, and the fear of losing control over his body gradually gripped him.

Fortunately, his legs were cold, and Zhu Yanchen’s embrace was scorching hot. Being held tightly by Zhu Yanchen finally brought some peace of mind in the midst of his uncontrollable panic.

Half asleep and half awake, he finally felt that the battle was over. The Mirror Erosion Swamp left them with more mysteries, but at least one thing was clear—

This time, Shu Jun didn’t need to search for memories in his dreams. During the battle, his head throbbed, and memories rushed back to him. As for the dream he had before, Shu Jun remembered the follow-up.

“Then I’ll call you A’Yan,” he said to the lost child sixteen years ago on that night.

Immediately, he realized that the child in front of him looked familiar—he seemed to have seen an NPC with a similar appearance before.

“Have we met before? During the mission to save Yu Jin, I remember you were on the NPC side. It’s me, Shu Jun, S-001 in <Erosion>!” Shu Jun asked directly.

At that time, he was wearing a protective mask, so it was normal for the other person not to recognize him. Although they were not part of <Erosion>, this child was probably just a facial model for an NPC, so asking an extra question wouldn’t hurt. Shu Jun never suppressed his curiosity.

The child named “Smoke” stared blankly, and his gaze towards Shu Jun gradually became complex. After a while, he said, “I remember you. But I’m not an NPC. That was… That was a role-playing experience level.”

As he said this, Smoke kept twisting his fingers, as if struggling with something.

“As I thought. It’s really you!”

Shu Jun was instantly happy. Although he hadn’t heard of any experience levels, he assumed it was a new game mode for rich people and decided not to worry about it. “Where do you live? I’ll take you home. Can I find you to play in the future? You were really cool that time!”

Smoke’s ears turned red. He struggled for a while and replied in a low voice, “Thank you.”

After a few seconds of silence, he raised his head and looked at Shu Jun seriously. “My place is a bit far. I need to take a car, so you can’t send me.”

“Really? There are no buses at this time. Why don’t I take you to the nearby management office—”

“No.” Smoke’s refusal was quite firm this time.

“You can’t go home, and you don’t want to go to the management office for the night, but I can’t have you sleep outside.” Shu Jun scratched his head. “Why don’t you come to my place…”

“Can I stay at your place for a night?” At the same time, the other person asked tentatively.

“I was just about to ask that. Of course you can!” Shu Jun’s eyes curved. “By the way, you’re so far from home and don’t seem lost. Did you run away from home?”

Smoke shook his head but didn’t explain. He bit his lip and changed the topic. “I… I just don’t want to stay at the management office overnight. And even if I’m sent back, I can only be alone.”

After speaking, he looked a little pleading, like an injured little animal.

With Yu Jin’s mission, Shu Jun already had a great impression of Smoke. Moreover, children were easily attracted to people with good looks. Although at that time Shu Jun considered himself a “mature man” of eleven years old, he still couldn’t escape from the other’s gaze.

Moreover, he understood what it was like to live alone.

“Come on, follow me.” Shu Jun stopped asking. He grabbed Smoke’s hand and led him towards his home, feeling quite happy—everyone liked to communicate through voice or video, but this was his first time entertaining someone of the same age at home.

Shu Jun’s place was a one-bedroom and one-living-room apartment; not too big or too small, and quite clean and comfortable. The kitchen was semi-separated, and the refrigerator contained simple foods with a long shelf life. The hot water in the bathroom never ran out, and the view outside the window was quite pleasant.

After bringing Smoke into the house, Shu Jun opened the refrigerator and took out some milk to heat up. “You can use my communicator. If it’s not convenient, I can also help you contact your family or the management office. Oh, A’Yan, do you want sugar in your milk?”

After finally having a guest, Shu Jun could now play the role of host. When he finished heating up the milk, he happily turned on all the lights in the house and started up the communicator.

Smoke held the hot milk in both hands and stared at the communicator for a while.

“It’s okay.” After a while, Smoke didn’t touch the screen in front of him, and his voice was still low. “I can explain it to them when I go back tomorrow.”

Shu Jun’s gaze suddenly became sharp. He understood that this kid must have had a conflict with his family, and he ran too far away, and was now embarrassed to ask for a ride back. Anyway, his crime had already become history, and the city was very safe, so Smoke probably just wanted to take advantage of the situation and have some fun.

He understood. He understood too well.

“Okay, no need to contact them then. Anyway, I have blankets and pillows at my place.” Shu Jun gulped down the milk and slammed the cup on the table. “Let’s play!”

Smoke sipped the milk with a confused expression on his face.

“What do you usually play with your friends?” Shu Jun started up the augmented reality, and a large number of game icons appeared in the living room. “Not to brag, but I have all kinds of games here.”

“…I don’t know.”

“Ah?” This answer was quite strange. How could someone not know what games they usually play?

“I don’t really play games usually. Um, at home, there are only adults…”

In other words, he didn’t have many friends. Shu Jun couldn’t help but sigh. No wonder he had conflicts with his family. Compared to that, he himself was much freer.

“This is Virtual Combat. I love this one! The only downside is that it requires a lot of physical activity, and if you play too late, you won’t be able to sleep. This one here is chess, but I find it a bit boring. This one is Monster Shooter. Oh, right, do you want to play a shooter?” Shu Jun’s eyes lit up.

Last time, this person was very interested in his gun, and it was clear he hadn’t played much.

Sure enough, Smoke eagerly responded, clumsily jumping off the chair without even wiping the milk off his mouth. Shu Jun could tell that Smoke’s movements weren’t very coordinated. Not to mention formal training, he didn’t even seem to have done much regular exercise.

No wonder he was so thin and weak.

‘What a shame,’ Shu Jun thought. If Smoke was a reserve member of a combat team, he would have been able to block that attack last time. Although his actions were very cool, his physical fitness was really holding him back. Shu Jun rubbed Smoke’s arm a few times, looking rather regretful.

Smoke froze. “…”

Shu Jun then walked around Smoke a few times as his thoughts raced. This person usually didn’t have contact with people his own age, so it wasn’t surprising that he lacked confidence. Perhaps he had a falling out with those child NPCs because of his poor social skills. Since Smoke had taken the initiative to ask to stay overnight, they could at least be considered half-friends.

Even if it was just half, he would do his best to be that half.

A sense of responsibility suddenly arose in Shu Jun’s heart as he handed the controller to Smoke. “Don’t worry if you haven’t played before. I’ll teach you step by step.”

The game started. With the influence of augmented reality, the living room floor turned into a small outpost, and hideous mutant beasts charged at them from the ground and sky.

The two controllers turned into flashing guns.

Shu Jun took the lead. “This is a small game developed based on <Erosion> and the details are similar. Look, the gun needs to be loaded like this… Yes, yes! Is it really your first time using a gun?”

Smoke almost blushed at his praise and looked down.

“Your shooting posture should be like this. Pay attention to the movement of your shoulder. The controller will simulate recoil, so be careful not to hurt yourself.” Shu Jun helped him adjust his posture. “Don’t be nervous. It’s just a game. Okay, three, two, one, fire!”

A mutant beast with an abnormally long arm was shot down and struggled for a while at their feet before disappearing in a burst of light.

Shu Jun had the idea of helping Smoke build confidence, so he purposely led him to shoot down one of the monsters during the tutorial. Although it was just a game, it felt very real. Smoke stared at the gun in his hand, his hand shaking a little.

“It’s your first time. It’s normal to be nervous. It’s okay. It’s not real—”

Before he could finish speaking, Smoke fired again.

For a beginner, Smoke’s accuracy was quite shocking. The monsters moved very fast and weren’t friendly targets. However, even if Smoke failed to get a headshot, he did manage to hit the target without missing a beat.

And he was becoming more and more accurate.

Unable to resist, Shu Jun looked at Smoke’s face—at this moment, Smoke was particularly focused, with no trace of restraint or timidity. His jet-black eyes seemed to be on fire. He seemed rooted to the ground, not even budging when monsters spewed blood and charged at him.

As expected of his friend. Shu Jun thought to himself and became more convinced of his ability to judge people.

After observing for a while, Shu Jun withdrew his gaze from Smoke’s face and instead focused on his body movements, afraid he might accidentally hurt his shoulder. He wasn’t surprised by Smoke’s frightening progress—Shu Jun was also quite talented in combat, and now he found it endearing in Smoke.

Once he confirmed that Smoke had mastered the correct posture, the two started to compete in shooting games.

“You know, you can unlock more small props in this game later on. But they’re all just small weapons with no special features.” Shu Jun introduced while playing. “When I join a team, I’ll definitely choose a super-cool big gun.”

“…These are good enough for me.” Smoke murmured. “I don’t need anything else.”

“Huh? You’re too simple,” Shu Jun exclaimed.

“…”

They had fun playing, but Smoke’s stamina was limited. After an hour, his arms became too weak to lift, so they had to stop. It was Shu Jun who noticed Smoke was covered in sweat and trembling, and suggested they stop.

“My score is much worse than yours…”

“It’s your first time playing. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Besides, the scores aren’t that different.”

“That’s because you let me.”

“I didn’t let you.”

“You did.”

“If we played too long, your shoulder would definitely get injured.” Seeing Smoke’s determined face, Shu Jun pinched his arm and changed the subject. He figured out that Smoke was someone who loved to focus on details. “Let’s play something else. It’s boring to play just one game.”

“Something else?”

“Yeah, even though I prefer fighting games—if we’re talking about multiplayer strategy games, then it’s this one… but I’m not good at it.” Shu Jun brought over two cans of cold drinks and spoke in a quieter voice.

Smoke wiped the sweat off his face with a towel and looked at him curiously.

Shu Jun grinned and started another game.

The desolate horizon turned back into the wall, and the cracked ground of the outpost turned back into the floor. In front of them was a sand table about two square meters in size, and even small black clouds floated above it.

“This is also a mini-game from <Erosion>, which tests your tactical ability. The rules and controls are very simple. Just eliminate the monsters in the field.”

There were countless strategy games, and Shu Jun chose the one he was worst at. Both of them started on equal footing, which was more beneficial for Smoke to discard unnecessary feelings of inferiority.

‘Plus, the games under <Erosion> have the coolest effects,’ Shu Jun thought solemnly.

“Let’s play together. It can have two commanders.”

Smoke hesitated for a moment. “My mom doesn’t let me touch this kind of stuff…”

Are there really such strange parents? Shu Jun was momentarily confused. He had only heard of parents forbidding pure casual games, but tactical games were officially recommended by the school. Parents should be happy if their child shows interest in them.

“You’ve come out by yourself. What are you afraid of? It’s not like you’re doing anything bad, and nobody will know if we don’t tell anyone.”

Smoke was still hesitant. “I actually like this kind of stuff, but my mom got really angry last time when she caught me secretly reading tactical books.”

“Parents aren’t always right.” Shu Jun poked at the little monster on the sand table and spoke seriously. “It’s just tactical planning. It won’t take your money, it won’t teach you bad things, and it won’t get in the way of your work. Maybe your mom has her reasons, but playing for an hour won’t hurt anyone.”

After some persuasion, Smoke agreed. Ten minutes later, Shu Jun discovered that this game could indeed bring confidence to Smoke, and it worked surprisingly well. Unlike the shooting game they played earlier, Shu Jun could deeply feel Smoke’s strength this time.

Smoke took only eight minutes to familiarize himself with the game controls and another two minutes to break through the level. His score was recorded under Shu Jun’s account, and Shu Jun’s level ranking shot up from over 3,000 to top 100.

This was even counting the first eight minutes.

Shu Jun blushed with embarrassment and quietly turned off the score upload.

The school had tested them, and Shu Jun was particularly good at handling predetermined battles. Once the situation became too large and complex, he began to go wild with ideas. As a result, his overall command score had always been low.

This tactical game, however, tested complex situations and command skills. Every time he saw it, his head would hurt. Who would have thought that he would bring back a monster—was Smoke’s mom afraid of scaring others?

What a waste! 

This person was clearly so strong, but still restrained!

Shu Jun rolled up his sleeves and said aggrievedly, “Did you see your score? Did you see it? If you hadn’t spent so long getting familiar with the level just now, you could have taken first place. My god, I don’t even know what you’re doing with your head down all the time. If I could achieve such results…”

As he spoke, his eyes began to feel sore. “I’m not convinced! Let’s keep going—”

An hour later, Shu Jun ran into the bathroom and sniffled for a full three minutes. As an eleven-year-old mature young man, he wouldn’t normally be so unrestrained, but his mentality was just too broken. He didn’t know if Smoke had regained his confidence, but his own confidence was almost gone.

Smoke passed a high-difficulty level on his first try, as easily as tying his shoes. Shu Jun had struggled for a long time, and his tactical score only made up a fraction of Smoke’s. Even without the tactical score, Shu Jun was still an excellent student, so he had never experienced such a blow.

Even if he counted the tactical score, no one else in the school was as savage as this guy, right?

With him crying like this, it would be hard for Smoke to think that he deliberately let him win. With tears in his eyes, Shu Jun tried to save face.

“I’m sorry, I… I didn’t mean to win so much. I controlled myself…”

“What are you saying?!” Shu Jun hiccupped. “Listen to yourself!”

Unable to persuade him, Smoke was at a loss. “Your tactics are really good, and there are many angles that I didn’t think of, but they are a bit… scattered. As long as you make a little change, the effect will be just as good as mine.”

Seeing Shu Jun wiping his nose and tears, Smoke started to stutter anxiously.

“Really?” Shu Jun wiped his nose hard.

“Really, I can show you the changes.”

Shu Jun immediately stopped crying. “Tell me.”

Smoke didn’t expect this person to change his mood so quickly and froze on the spot.

“It was me who couldn’t control my emotions.” Shu Jun tore a piece of paper. “After all, I’m older than you, so I shouldn’t be like this… By the way, how old are you?”

“Twelve.”

“…” A tear slowly fell from the corner of Shu Jun’s eye. So he was actually the younger one.

“Wuuu.” He sniffed again, sadly. “Brother, please tell me how to improve my tactics from earlier?”

Smoke: “…”

Smoke: “…How about we analyze it?”

Shu Jun’s sadness came and went quickly. The two kids played and chattered until dawn, and Shu Jun satisfactorily took notes. On the other hand, Smoke’s expression and movements became more natural, and even a smile appeared on his face.

“Can you come play with me in the future?” Shu Jun made room for Smoke on the bed. “Or I can come play with you?”

“I… I’ll talk to my family when I go home tomorrow.” Smoke grabbed the edge of the blanket tightly. “It should be okay. Anyway, I’ve been alone at night. If it’s not okay, I can come out by myself.”

“Okay.” Shu Jun yawned. “We made a promise, okay?”

Smoke hesitated for a moment, carefully reached out his hand, and shook Shu Jun’s hand.

“Good night.”

“Good night.”

Shu Jun slept soundly that night, and when he woke up the next morning, he found that he had used Smoke as a pillow—his octopus-like arms wrapped around the rolled-up Smoke like a cushion. Smoke frowned slightly, but his breathing was still steady.

Shu Jun carefully released his grip and got out of bed. He sent a message to the manager that he didn’t need breakfast, and then started to cook enough noodles for two people—he actually cried in front of Smoke last night, so he had to quickly restore his mature and reliable image.

Although Smoke was older than him by a year, this age gap could be completely ignored—he was taller than Smoke, after all.

…And now that he thought about it, he did get half of a super cool friend.

No, they had so much fun playing together; they should be considered “real friends” now, right?

How great.

---

The author has something to say:

In the real world, children should not wander around alone at night! There is no crime in the virtual world, but there is in the real world.

—————

Shu Ge, 16 years ago: When I grow up, I want to have a super cool weapon!

Monday: ?

Shu Ge: ?

—————

Shu Ge, 16 years ago: Although A’Yan is older than me, he is skinny and shorter than me… Spiritually, that makes me the big brother. I have to take care of this introverted friend…

Marshal: ?

Shu Ge: ??????

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Wow I just died of sweetness. They are so cute!!! I love childhood sweethearts!

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 44: Long Time No See

Hu Yan was shocked on the spot. “Is this within the rules?”

Despite the danger, he still had a game mindset—NPC never participated in battles before, and someone like “One Eye” who was willing to assist deeply was also rare. Moreover, the task needed to be scored, so this might be considered cheating.

Yu Jin was even more terrified. “Yeah, is this within the rules? When can players become NPCs?”

After their duet, they looked at each other sympathetically.

With a burst of energy, Shu Jun looked like he was about to weaken. “…Just consider me a special guest. I’ll clear the way first, okay?”

His response was clever, and each of them interpreted it according to their own understanding. With the situation critical, Hu Yan didn’t say much. The rocks opened like petals and gave way to the upward path.

It was still dark overhead, with no light in the sky. The passage leading out was like an upside-down dry well.

Shu Jun raised a wind beside him, but he didn’t immediately fly away. He nodded at Zhu Yanchen and then tilted his head in the direction where the Blackbirds was.

After years of tactical communication, Zhu Yanchen immediately understood Shu Jun’s meaning—he wanted to lure the attention of the Mirror Erosion Swamp away as a “player”. If the situation changed, the Erosion Swamp might still attack other members of the Blackbirds. Shu Jun wanted him to help protect the team.

Zhu Yanchen nodded calmly. After receiving the other’s feedback, Shu Jun was lifted up by the wind, and his feet left the ground. “Do you want me to help you get another brain?”

When facing Sweet Edge, Zhu Yanchen almost died, and he definitely wouldn’t consider researching. Now another opportunity had presented itself, and it had to be said that it was a perfect opportunity.

“No need,” Zhu Yanchen said softly. “Stay safe.”

“If it’s a safety issue…”

“No, if you dig out its brain, it will soon turn back into an ordinary Erosion Swamp.” Zhu Yanchen explained helplessly. “Just be careful…”

“I know, I know.” Previously, Grand Marshal Zhu had a cold and hard demeanor, but now that he knew his own life was out of danger, he developed a subtle tendency to be overprotective. “Don’t worry. I’m good at running away.”

Although he said that, Shu Jun knew in his heart that they had no other choice.

He couldn’t just leave the missing Blackbirds members alone, nor could he upgrade the battle into a conflict between two Alpha Erosion Swamps—not to mention how to explain it to the Blackbirds vanguard team. Once it was determined that he was a troublemaking humanoid Erosion Swamp, this incident would be classified as an Erosion Swamp conflict. The Mirror Erosion Swamp might clear the field first, and the vanguard team would inevitably be the first to bear the brunt.

To put it another way, even if they could ruthlessly run away, the Mirror Erosion Swamp wouldn’t let the vanguard team go, so conflict was inevitable.

He could only first confront the Erosion Swamp as a powerful player, take advantage of its carelessness, and play dirty.

“Go to the cave entrance.” After Shu Jun flew away, Zhu Yanchen naturally took over the command. “Paprika*… Hu Yan, the three of us will go to the top of the mountain. The view is better there, and it’s also convenient for you to use your ability.”

*Clarity: Zhu Yanchen almost called Hu Yan by his game ID, which literally translates to ground pepper.

This person with the same ID as his sister-in-law had a very pleasant voice, like ice water flowing through his throat on a scorching hot day. It made Hu Yan take a moment to realize that his own ID was indeed harsh to the ears and didn’t match this voice at all.

This voice was more suitable for calling out to someone with an elegant ID like Luo Duan’s. But when he thought of the original name of Shu Jun, [See You Tomorrow], Hu Yan regained his mental balance. “Visibility? It’s pitch black outside…”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Hu Yan realized that, even though he was the captain of the Blackbirds, he had been swept away by the other person’s imposing manner.

“I have a way.” Zhu Yanchen spoke concisely, turning to Yu Jin. “Are you coming? If not, you can wait in with the Blackbirds.”

“I’m already here,” Yu Jin responded absentmindedly. “It’s just a few steps more.”

“Let’s go.” Zhu Yanchen took out his gun.

The stones under their feet rose up and slid smoothly and quickly towards the cave entrance. The journey wasn’t short or long, just long enough for Hu Yan to ask a question. “What’s the relationship between you and Shu… uh, Gray Claw?”

Hearing the key words, Yu Jin turned his gaze slightly, obviously also curious about the answer.

Naturally, Zhu Yanchen wasn’t stumped by this situation. He fiddled with the gun in his hand, not even bothering to look up. “Family.”

The simple and powerful word was accompanied by a cold feeling of “if you ask again, I won’t answer”.

Hu Yan: “…” It really was his sister-in-law’s relative.

Yu Jin: “…” He knew that the two were a couple. Now that he thought about it, was Smoke also a player?

In a moment of silence, the stones emerged from the cave entrance and were surrounded by the rest of the rocks, pushing towards the mountaintop.

“Captain Hu, get ready.” Zhu Yanchen took out a ball the size of a billiard ball from his backpack, threw it into the air, and instead of falling to the ground, it slowly rose, emitting a bright light as if a flash had been paused.

For a moment, the Blackbirds below could be vaguely seen. The entire small rocky hill was illuminated, and a sticky light emanated from the central liquid column.

The visibility was indeed clear enough, but unfortunately, Shu Jun had long since disappeared.

Shu Jun was propelled upwards by the wind but suddenly stopped in the middle of his ascent—countless men and women with the same appearance hugged the liquid column, covering the surface of the Erosion Swamp like aphids. As soon as Shu Jun appeared, all those human skin balloons turned their heads and looked at him together.

Shu Jun’s body trembled all over from being stared at, and he held onto Monday tightly.

For convenience in battle, the cloth strips that bound Monday’s mouth and brain had long since floated away. Monday didn’t have any complicated thoughts. It felt quite comfortable using its mouth to catch the refreshing wind and was panting happily. Now that Shu Jun had stopped and the comfortable wind was gone, Monday began to grumble and yelp.

As soon as Monday made a sound, the human skin balloons were awakened and began to scream together. The voices were so densely intertwined that it made his hair stand on end. Monday probably didn’t expect so many “accompaniment” voices, so it choked and obediently shut its mouth.

If they were still wandering around below, the Mirror Erosion Swamp could have given the four of them a really hard time in the cave. Shifting his gaze over the densely packed human skin balloons, Shu Jun tried to search for living people inside them with his wind manipulation.

Zhu Yanchen didn’t suggest retreating and given the earlier explanation about the Erosion Swamp needing a prototype, his team members should still be alive. However, he had no clue where the two large human figures were hidden and where the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s brain was concealed.

The Mirror Erosion Swamp wasn’t stupid and knew it wouldn’t be able to trick Shu Jun a second time. The human skin balloons were firmly stuck to the liquid erosion column, and the wind couldn’t blow them away again. Shu Jun was also afraid of blowing the real people away, so he continued to fly upward. The liquid column seemed to pierce the sky, and Shu Jun could feel the temperature dropping significantly. The light from below couldn’t reach here, so he took a deep breath, letting the airflow revolve gently around him.

He relied on the subtle resistance to roughly sketch out the appearance of the top of this thing. The Mirror Erosion Swamp didn’t really have a head like a garden eel. Its top was more like a hydra*, with six or seven tentacles swaying in the air.

*Genus of small freshwater organism of the phylum Cnidaria and class Hydrozoa, not to be confused with the hydra of Greek mythology.

Compared to this, Sweet Edge was a much more friendly opponent.

Shu Jun licked his dry lips. This thing had stretched him too thin, spanning the heavens and the earth. Its brain could be anywhere. Even if he used his power to suppress it, he couldn’t cover such a large area. He needed to chop it up like an onion, but that was only possible if the thing didn’t resist and let him cut it up.

After considering it for a while, he smiled and rushed to the top of the column.

Sure enough, the Erosion Swamp, like a hungry hydra, wrapped several tentacles around him at once. Shu Jun put on a look of effort, struggling to chop off those tentacles.

The tentacles quickly took control of him, and the erosion substance invaded his protective suit, pushing him into an empty space inside the column. Shu Jun patiently suppressed his and Monday’s auras, allowing the tentacles to bind him tightly.

To deceive the people below, he was the perfect example of a human skin balloon. The Mirror Erosion Swamp had to constantly produce human skin balloons while keeping the samples alive. Its structure wasn’t very stable, so it shouldn’t spend much effort separating the samples. Even if he guessed wrong, there was still a way to escape.

Luckily, Shu Jun wasn’t wrong.

There was a thin erosion net in the empty space, like a ghost lantern, trapping two Blackbirds members inside. The net was so dense with the erosion substance that they could barely support themselves. The thin erosion silk penetrated the protective suits and covered their bodies, probably copying information.

Shu Jun took a deep breath and released the pressure on Monday’s aura.

Monday was originally happily looking around, wondering if it could rub off some erosion substance. When the pressure was released, it completely exposed its aura, and the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s attention almost instantly focused on it.

Monday: “…Help.” The oppressive feeling squeezed in from all around, and it didn’t even dare to shout out loudly.

Shu Jun remained silent, while Monday’s rough voice made the two Blackbirds members think it was him speaking. Despite being in a critical condition, the female member of the team managed to speak up. “Screaming for help is useless. Hurry… Hurry up and turn on your purifier… Every second counts.”

After discovering Monday, the wall of the Mirror Erosion Swamp began to gather and fluctuate in a regular pattern towards the center.

In order to appear like a good player, Shu Jun had indeed brought a purifier with him. He skillfully activated it, dispersing the erosion filaments on the two team members’ bodies, and then grabbed their emergency hooks, hooking them onto himself.

“It’s dinner time,” he whispered to Monday.

Compared to the battle with Sweet Edge, Monday had made some progress. This time, it didn’t remain motionless like a log but stiffened into a board throughout the process. The sword edge sliced through the erosion net that enveloped the three people, and it hesitantly absorbed the heavily erosion substance, allowing the three of them to break free from their restraints.

Subsequently, Shu Jun didn’t use his trump card of suppression. He concentrated, adjusting the distribution of air—with a whoosh, the thick wall of the liquid column was torn open by a wind blade, and Shu Jun rushed out like a drill while controlling the surrounding air.

“You…” This wind manipulation ability looked exceptionally familiar, but the man was so tightly wrapped up that it left the Blackbirds members completely puzzled.

The captain retired, and everyone on the vanguard team was a familiar face. Except for NPCs without any special abilities. Where did this person come from?

Shu Jun, of course, didn’t wait for them to finish their questions. He waved his hand and unceremoniously scraped off the human skin balloons stuck to the erosion filaments on the liquid column. After confirming that the erosion filaments instinctively wrapped tightly around the two people, he loosened the hooks—

“Ahhhhh—!” The two team members were unprepared. With a large group of human skin balloons hanging behind them. They were about to fall from a high altitude.

Naturally, Shu Jun wouldn’t let his teammates fall to their deaths. With his wind manipulation ability, he borrowed the resistance of the human skin balloons, and the two people fell at a not-too-fast speed, even though the visual effect was quite exaggerated.

The Mirror Erosion Swamp bent the liquid column down, wanting to pull the two people back with its top tentacle, but Shu Jun blocked it with his sword.

The two people quickly descended to the illumination range at the bottom of the liquid column.

The Blackbirds members who saw that scene swallowed their saliva to a greater or lesser extent. Seeing their comrades—or rather, a large group of comrades—screaming and falling, the scene was quite mentally traumatic.

Unlike the shocked Hu Yan, Zhu Yanchen remained quite calm. “Build up stone pillars as a buffer and raise two purifiers to their highest power. First, remove the erosion filaments on the surface of their bodies.”

Hu Yan simply handed over the broadcasting authority to Zhu Yanchen. Apart from the two large human skin balloons connected to people, there was occasionally falling debris from the sky. The whole scene was like a nightmare, and his brain couldn’t accept it for a moment.

Zhu Yanchen readily accepted and gave instructions directly. “Stay away from falling objects and check the wounds on those two people. If there are no penetrating wounds, there is still time for deep cleaning.”

“Captain Hu, change the stone pillars into shields.” After giving orders to the Blackbirds members, Marshal Zhu turned to Hu Yan. “There will be attacks from above, and I will calculate the position. I will control the light source for guidance, and you need to ensure that the shield is above the light source.”

“Oh, okay… Got it.”

“One Eye, keep an eye on Captain Hu’s feet, and don’t let him fall.”

“Okay.”

Zhu Yanchen summoned a light screen and stared fixedly at the sky full of human skin balloons and the swaying liquid column without blinking. He controlled the light source, while Hu Yan controlled the shield, and many hard-to-dodge human skin balloons were blocked, leaving a relatively peaceful location for the Blackbirds to rescue the falling people.

After the emergency treatment was completed, they could consider retreating. In the best-case scenario, they could temporarily disable the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s ability to move, as long as Shu Jun didn’t reveal his identity as an Erosion Swamp.

It all depended on what Shu Jun planned to do.

Shu Jun counted the seconds himself. He saw that there were more light sources and a shield blocking below, indicating that the two team members had probably landed. The emergency treatment would take about fifteen minutes, and after enduring these fifteen minutes, the Blackbirds vanguard team would be able to return to a convenient state of action.

Now it was time for a one-on-one battle again.

The Mirror Erosion Swamp was clearly unhappy about Shu Jun taking away the human skin balloon sample. It slammed its tentacles, trying to sweep up a few more from the ground, but even if it could break through Shu Jun’s defense with its volume advantage, its attacks were always blocked by the shield below. Shu Jun’s ally, Monday, became its primary target of attention. Monday whimpered in fear and had to dodge each attack while wailing.

After five minutes of back and forth, the Erosion Swamp realized the problem. Since it couldn’t easily retrieve the hostages, it might as well focus on shooting the head bird in front of it.

The liquid column no longer thrashed about and attacked Shu Jun again in unison.

The Mirror Erosion Marsh was too large, and the airflow it stirred up was quite chaotic. Shu Jun couldn’t control all of its movements, let alone infer the location of its brain. He could only defend passively.

This couldn’t go on.

Despite Shen Jun’s agility, he suffered several bruises. Monday had been whipped hundreds of times to the point of putting it in a stupor. It became more and more sluggish and was unable to even groan.

He needed a solution, but it wasn’t yet time to give up. Revealing his identity and forcing a path was a last resort…

[What should we do here? It’s too troublesome.] A vague voice appeared in Shu Jun’s ear, sounding like a child’s complaint. [The team of monsters is so long. Who knows where the captain is hiding. Or just defend until the end, as long as we reserve our strength?]

[…You can send a small team to launch a surprise attack on the head, middle, and tail of the team.]

Another child’s voice was even quieter, sounding a bit shy.

[Uh, what do you mean?]

[Once attacked, the team will be disrupted. The captain must react and adjust in time. This map… um, doesn’t it not support long-distance communication? Then…]

[I got it, I got it! Simultaneous attack, and watch the team’s reaction speed, right?]

[Mm… yeah.]

[Wow, this angle is so amazing! I was just thinking about how to operate on defense, thank you—] The complaining child’s mood took a turn, becoming excited again. [Oh, by the way, we got chocolates today… I think these types are pretty good. You should try them all.]

[Okay.]

[Also, if we send another team to divide the team in the middle, wouldn’t that be more effective? …A’Yan, look over here, look over here.]

As the memory faded, Shu Jun awoke from his trance. He didn’t have time to ponder the details of that memory. He immediately took action—Shu Jun raised his greatsword and enveloped himself in a thick wind shield, cutting the liquid column from the middle. At the same time, he focused on sensing the airflow.

Separated by the thick wind shield, the bottom half of the Mirror Erosion Swamp became stiff for a short moment while the top half continued to twist madly. Soon, the upper and lower parts quickly fused back together, but Shu Jun’s attack didn’t stop.

This thing had stretched itself too thin, and there was indeed a delay in its reaction.

Without giving it time to transfer its brain, Shu Jun lifted his hand, and three huge wind blades shot out, hitting the upper half of the Mirror Erosion Swamp head-on. Without the help of Monday to clear the way, the wind blades couldn’t cut through the swamp’s body, and the wound would heal within seconds.

However, seconds were already enough time.

The healing of the wound and the rearrangement of the liquid column’s shape had a subtle time difference. After several waves of attacks, the positions of the wind blades became increasingly concentrated, and the Mirror Erosion Swamp finally realized the danger.

It quickly changed its shape and shrank towards the ground while attacking the people on the ground without any regard for its own safety.

Unfortunately, it had missed the best opportunity—the fifteen minutes were already up.

Using the fragments of the rocky mountain, Hu Yan stuck together a thin-hulled ship. The Blackbirds vanguard team evacuated onto the ship, and Hu Yan even reused some waterproof fabric as sails, pulling them up in front of the team members’ eyes full of confusion.

Zhu Yanchen, Hu Yan, and Yu Jin were the only ones who hadn’t boarded the ship yet.

On the other side, Shu Jun quickly descended. He didn’t stop sensing the airflow around him—this Mirror Erosion Swamp messed with its body structure, playing the guessing game of which cup the ball was hidden under. The Mirror Erosion Swamp was much larger than Sweet Edge and hadn’t received any substantial damage. If he lost its brain now, the next battle would be several times more difficult.

“You guys go first!” Shu Jun opened the amplification device inside his protective suit. “Everyone get on board the ship. I’ll send you away!”

If he concentrated his attack on the brain of the Erosion Swamp, it wouldn’t dare fully attack the vanguard team. As a first-tier player, Hu Yan wasn’t just sitting around. If he could buy enough time, others would have a higher chance of escape.

The rest was a head-to-head with him and the Mirror Erosion Swamp.

After all, it came to test humanity and was stronger than Sweet Edge. To be honest, Shu Jun wasn’t sure if he could win. But on the other hand, there was no such thing as a battle that was a sure win.

As long as Zhu Yanchen and the Blackbirds vanguard team could escape successfully, the plan could continue. He was already the one with the highest hope of survival in this group of people, and it was a stable gain.

Hu Yan didn’t know the truth, so he had less psychological pressure and was more decisive at the moment. “Then we’ll go first!”

Seeing the Erosion Swamp collapsing with the momentum of an avalanche in front of him, Yu Jun didn’t dare dawdle. The two of them boarded the ship in a flash. Shu Jun was about to raise his hand, but he found that one person hadn’t moved yet.

Zhu Yanchen had no intention of boarding the ship. He held a fully opened purifier in his left hand and a gun in his right with an unreal sense of calm.

“Aren’t you going to board the ship?” Shu Jun almost hit the ship’s sail with a wind blast, barely retracting it.

But Marshal Zhu immediately took action—he threw two small bombs at the sail, and they exploded into a huge blast of wind, almost pushing the ship out of their sight. Seeing that Zhu Yanchen had no hope of boarding, Shu Jun gritted his teeth and had to push the sail again. The thin-hulled ship disappeared into the horizon in an instant, flying at a high speed.

“Zhu Yanchen, you’re fucking back to your old ways again?!” Just as Shu Jun felt this guy had a positive sign of living actively, Grand Marshal Zhu had started spinning around Death again.

“You need lighting to determine the change in the Erosion Swamp’s location.” Zhu Yanchen saw through Shu Jun’s tactics at a glance. “The concentration of erosion here can’t break my immunity. With me here, your chances of winning will be higher. Besides, once the news of this leaks, the threat of ‘two people cooperating’ sounds much lower than ‘single-handedly’.”

“I understand the principle, but the problem is we don’t know anything about this thing! I can’t guarantee that I can—”

Before he could finish, Shu Jun was interrupted by Zhu Yanchen’s calm voice.

“I know you won’t lose,” he said.

A familiar feeling suddenly hit, and Shu Jun was stunned for half a second. “What if…”

“We might die, and if we do, the Erosion Swamp behind it may relax its guard. I’ve already arranged plans for what to do afterwards… My survival was already an accident, so everything will just return to the original track. Plus, with the recent intelligence, Dong Lao and the Fourth Squadron can act more effectively.”

Staying behind to increase their chances of winning? Compared to Marshal Zhu’s previous behavior, this was really not conservative.

But it had to be said, with the lighting operation and Marshal Zhu’s instructions made the delay tactics much easier—Zhu Yanchen was extremely skilled in calculating the flow of the Erosion Swamp, so Shu Jun didn’t need to distract himself by sensing the air currents. Once the Erosion Swamp attempted to engulf them, Shu Jun would take Marshal Zhu and fly into the air, continuously attacking the brain.

“It’s about time.” Zhu Yanchen fired several shots at the Mirror Erosion Swamp, interrupting one of its tentacles. “The vanguard should have already escaped.”

“But we can’t leave.” Shu Jun’s sweat was dripping down his neck, and his clothes inside the protective suit were already soaked.

Seeing that there was no hope in chasing after the vanguard, the Mirror Erosion Swamp repeated its previous tactic and spread “petals” around the liquid column. However, this time the petals were particularly thick, tightly wrapping the two of them in the middle. Although Shu Jun kept using wind attacks, the gaps kept getting smaller and smaller.

Without even having to use erosion, it wanted to suffocate them with physical means.

The battle had reached the point of revealing his trump card. Shu Jun and Zhu Yanchen were flying in an increasingly narrow space. His suppression was a sneak attack, and it was the most effective for the first time in the face of this kind of deformed, experienced Erosion Swamp.

Shu Jun was a bit nervous.

He had faced uncertain situations before, but he was always carefree then. One reason was the optimism brought by his blessings since childhood. As for the second… life was just like that. Regardless of whether the world was real or not, he didn’t have any relatives.

Compared to Zhu Yanchen’s eighty-year-old man scheme, Shu Jun felt that he was at least honest with himself, and his friends knew the risks of battle. In a corner of his heart, Shu Jun always had this thought—he was a soldier after all, and if the time came, it wouldn’t be so bad to die calmly.

But now he was sweating all over, looking disheveled, and full of anxiety.

…If he died, Zhu Yanchen would inevitably be buried with him.

Seeing that the closed space had stabilized again, the Mirror Erosion Swamp once again used its ability. Countless faceless skin balloons appeared along the inner wall of the Erosion Swamp and gradually filled the space. Numerous soft hands reached towards Shu Jun, frantically hindering his movements.

Piercing screams rose and fell one after another. They didn’t know where the sound was coming from, as these things had no mouths.

“I’m going up.” Shu Jun’s hoarse voice sounded like it had been torn apart. “It’s an old tactic. I can’t take you with me.”

“I know.”

Zhu Yanchen swung his purifier behind him, forcing the surrounding erosion back and created a standing space for himself. The purifier was so incredibly powerful that the skin balloons couldn’t get close to him for a while.

Shu Jun charged towards the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s brain.

The process was much more painful than the fight with Sweet Edge. Countless thin threads instantly squeezed into his protective suit, drilling into Shu Jun’s mouth and nose, trying to strangle him in place. Shu Jun used all his strength and desperately used his suppression ability, slowly moving towards the brain of the Mirror Erosion Swamp.

His attention had never been so focused, and for the first time, he truly hoped that the blessing really came from God. Even if his posture was extremely ugly, he still wanted to win this battle.

The thin erosion threads were tearing his flesh, suppressing one layer after another. To protect itself, the Mirror Erosion Swamp wrapped layers of erosion like human skin around its brain, making it extremely difficult to crack.

But he couldn’t give up. Zhu Yanchen was still struggling behind him.

Shu Jun gritted his teeth and almost squeezed out all his strength. He didn’t know how long he had stopped breathing, and his vision started to darken. Amidst the screaming of the human skin balloon, blurred colors and shadows gradually appeared.

[You will never lose.]

Yes, I will never lose.

With his greatsword, he cut through layer after layer of protection and forced himself towards the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s brain. The pain scorched between his bones, and he almost thought he was being burned alive.

This was his only chance.

Suppress. Suppress. Continue to suppress.

‘…Go fuck yourself,’ Shu Jun thought. He must survive.

He reached out his hand, and gray-white erosion flowed from his claws. Shu Jun didn’t stop for even a moment—in the previous battle, his suppression was relatively calm and had a soothing nature. This time, he wished he could turn into a human blender and wreak havoc in the Mirror Erosion Swamp’s brain.

In the end, his own consciousness became blurry, and the destruction and suppression in his hands became crazier. More erosion substance emerged from his spine, forming a huge blade that resembled wings in the darkness.

Unfortunately, Shu Jun almost lost consciousness.

While the sharp blade was churning, the device on his wrist was still working quietly.

[Fusion Degree: 45%]

[Fusion Degree: 57%]

[Fusion Degree: 73%]

……

He suddenly felt his breathing loosen. Shu Jun knelt down with a “plop” and the greatsword pierced into the ground. The Mirror Erosion Swamp lost its shape, and the erosion flowed quietly around it. Many human-skin balloons that hadn’t yet disintegrated floated on the Mirror Erosion Swamp, dissolving slowly.

Zhu Yanchen’s moving light source floated tremblingly, like a firefly with its wings injured.

Torn and thrown around by the human skin balloons, Marshal Zhu himself was a bit disheveled, but he was indeed still standing. With the confirmation that the enemy had been defeated, Shu Jun weakly smiled.

His protective suit had long since decayed and fallen apart during the fierce battle, leaving him almost naked. Monday was scared out of its wits again, but it quickly regained its composure and started howling on the spot.

“We were separated for nine minutes.” Zhu Yanchen approached and took off his tattered coat, gently draping it over Shu Jun’s back. “It didn’t have time to transmit information about the ‘Humanoid Erosion Swamp’, so don’t worry.”

“…Really…?”

Zhu Yanchen calmly opened his waist pack and tested the erosion substance around them for a moment.

“I’m pretty sure. They were suppressed quite obediently and wouldn’t have retained too much information. We really kept our trump card.”

“Nine minutes… I thought it was nine years…”

Shu Jun looked at Zhu Yanchen dazedly. He had so much to say, but now he couldn’t say a word. In the midst of tremendous pain, he did recall some memories. However, unlike when he faced Sweet Edge, the Mirror Erosion Swamp was pure erosion, and no one else’s memories surged into his mind.

He remembered his own memories. Even if they were just fragments, they were enough to piece together many things.

“A’Yan…”

Shu Jun stretched out a hand and placed it on the spot where Zhu Yanchen’s heart was. The strong pulsation passed through the muscles and knocked on his nerves along his palms.

“…Long time no see.”

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Kinky Thoughts:

I have to say, this chapter was truly exciting to read.

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Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 43: The Beginning of Battle

The impact of the waves was quite strong, but the greatsword itself was wide enough. Monday was thrown around by the wave and screamed, but luckily everyone was so dazed by the water that they couldn’t tell where the source of the scream came from. The protective suit was thick and slippery when wet, making it difficult for Shu Jun to pull the straps on both sides. During this process, he had to focus on suppressing his own and Monday’s breath, which made things even more miserable.

However, just before the next wave came, Zhu Yanchen reached out his arm and tightly hugged Shu Jun’s waist, holding him close to his body. He held him tightly as the two tumbled in the water until they hit the rocky wall with a loud thud, without any signs of separation.

The thick protective suit served as a cushion, and the speed of the central water flow wasn’t very fast. It was only after the water flow gradually dissipated that the world became pitch black, and they looked like fish caught in a net.

The Erosion Swamp didn’t plan to drown them directly, so the water quickly dispersed. As soon as Hu Yan stood up, he opened the short-range communication to the maximum and then fired a flare into the sky.

“Immediately assembly!” Hu Yan ordered.

The communication device made an unpleasant rustling sound. Under the glare of the flare, the huge liquid column of the Erosion Swamp slowly writhed.

They had been washed up near the huge liquid column. Zhu Yanchen and Shu Jun’s orders had taken effect—after enabling oxygen support and erosion protection, Hu Yan’s condition was quite good. On the other hand, the waterproof cloth was limited, so the team members had to share it. Although the thirteen people were scattered by the water, they managed to ensure that there were two to four people in each group. With the protection of the waterproof cloth, the sharp fragments in the water flow couldn’t hurt the protective suits.

“Damn it, the erosion concentration is too high. Short-range communication devices probably won’t last long.” Hu Yan lit a cold light and looked at the reading. “This Erosion Swamp is really strange. It’s like a flytrap.”

“I took a look just now, and including us, the waterproof cloth wrapped around four groups of people,” Yu Jin recalled. “As long as your people don’t get washed away alone, the situation isn’t that bad.”

“The vanguard team are all elites. They won’t get washed away alone. I’m afraid that—” Hu Yan hadn’t finished speaking when intermittent sounds came from the communication device. “We’ve been washed into a cave… Can’t find our way out…”

Hu Yan sighed and turned the illumination towards the rocky mountain remnants full of holes. “I was afraid of this.”

Yu Jin also sighed heavily. “To be honest, I’ve never seen anything as weird as this. At most, I’ve encountered some strange mutant beasts, but this is fucking strange.”

Shu Jun thought for a few seconds. “The team outside the rocky mountain should assemble at the lighting. ‘One Eye’ will assist Hu Yan here. Smoke and I will go into the rocky mountain to find the missing people.”

“I’ll come with you.” Hu Yan shook his head. “The cave is narrow, and I can widen it. Otherwise, if you encounter something like that… that thing that pretended to be Xiao Zhang earlier, you two may not be able to handle it. Moreover, I’m now the captain of the Blackbirds. I can’t just sit around waiting for you two to risk your lives.”

“I’ll also come and broaden my horizons.” Yu Jin hammered a glowing marker into the ground. “The two of you are even more badass than me in a fight. Anyway, inside or outside, it’s only a few steps away, so I might as well go with you.”

His voice carried a hint of humor. “I’m quite familiar with this kind of mountain terrain. They say that if you benefit from someone, don’t forget to repay them*. I can’t just take advantage of you guys for nothing.”

*When one eats the food of another, one’s mouth becomes shorter. Idiom referring to one shouldn’t be greedy and take advantage of others without giving anything back.

“Okay, but we have to retreat when it’s time to retreat.” Shu Jun surveyed the cave.

If Hu Yan was there, retreating would be easy, not to mention the fact that the erosion concentration here was extremely high and Hu Yan could exert a great deal of power. If things went wrong, compared to himself, Hu Yan could at least send people out faster.

Since the water was flowing towards the center, except for the group that was washed into the cave, the other two groups weren’t far apart. After the two teams gathered, Hu Yan briefly explained the current situation.

Seven people, plus themselves, gathered together. There was one man and one woman missing.

“For now, the situation is unclear. You should gather here and not act separately. We’ll go in and find the missing people. If we haven’t returned within three hours, you should turn the purifiers to maximum power and retreat as fast as you can.”

“It’s best not to use maximum power.” Zhu Yanchen suddenly spoke up after pondering for a while.

Hu Yan wasn’t annoyed by the response. “Why?”

“Its intention is to make us actively approach the center. That’s why it made a fake messenger. If it wants to hunt, it doesn’t need to bother with so many tricks. Just waiting for you to come and investigate is enough.”

If all three hundred core members of the Blackbirds were there, it would be understandable to catch them all at once. With only thirteen people, it seemed like an overkill*. There was no reason to hunt in this way, as the Erosion Swamp also had to calculate energy consumption.

*Using a cleaver to slaughter chickens (杀鸡用牛刀了) Idiom describing a situation when someone uses excessive force or resources to deal with a problem that could be solved with simpler or more appropriate means.

Zhu Yanchen patiently explained in a calm voice. “After it brought us to the center, it didn’t immediately attack us. According to reason, it would have trapped us in water, making it difficult for us to survive. From what I can see, it seems more like it’s observing us.”

“…No, bro. The Erosion Swamp doesn’t have this kind of intelligence, does it?” Hu Yan lowered his voice. “It’s just a lump of erosion.”

As soon as the words came out, he choked a little himself—looking at the fake Xiao Zhang, it was hard to say it didn’t have a brain.

Marshal Zhu didn’t dwell on this issue and changed the subject directly. “Regardless of its purpose, its desire to attack isn’t strong at the moment. The energy storage of the purifiers is limited. If it is fully opened, it won’t be able to sustain until you leave the heavily eroded area… It’s better to save it until it shows aggressive tendencies.”

“That makes sense. Ah, this is the first time we’ve been pulled in directly. Before this, Zhu Yanchen would always give an assessment report on the swamp.” Hu Yan scratched his head. “Shu—bah—Gray Claw, what do you think?”

Shu Jun always had unconventional ideas, and Hu Yan hoped that he would come up with some more unusual ones.

“My opinion is the same as Smoke’s.” Shu Jun suddenly understood how Zhu Yanchen felt—after knowing the truth, he didn’t want his teammates to take risks. “Something’s not right here. Safety comes first.”

“…Okay, then let’s do that,” Hu Yan instructed the remaining members again. “Don’t try to act like heroes and investigate randomly. Stay here honestly and stay alive.”

The rocky mountain had already been eroded into strange shapes by the erosion. The cave was like an ant’s nest, with tunnels leading in all directions that were so deep it looked bottomless. If the team members were simply trapped, with Hu Yan’s abilities, they wouldn’t take more than three hours to get out. But this Erosion Swamp could make human skin balloons, so things were uncertain.

Before they approached, no one knew if the cries for help and knocking were made by “people.”

Hu Yan was straightforward, but he couldn’t be called impulsive. He commanded the rock wall to split and gather, allowing them to avoid many dead ends, and they didn’t need to advance in the narrow and suffocating rock passage. The route was integrated by Hu Yan into a straight and flat passage so that the four of them could turn back and escape at any time.

However, as they went deeper, faint cries for help came from all directions.

“Those two sides shouldn’t be it.” Yu Jin twisted the fibers on the rock wall. “Judging from the torn cloth, they were washed to the far left by the water.”

“Thanks, brother.” Hu Yan turned his flashlight in annoyance—they were getting closer and closer to the liquid column, and all their equipment was being rapidly eroded. At the moment, the light kept flickering, making people dizzy.

“I’ve collected a lot of corpses on the edge of the erosion zone before, but I didn’t expect that trick to work here.” Yu Jin turned to Shu Jun and murmured.

Shu Jun: “…” Has this person been infected by Hu Yan’s pessimistic words?

“I hope they’re okay. When I think what’s calling out over there isn’t a human, I get goosebumps… Wait, there are some marks over there. Let me take a look.” Yu Jin didn’t slack off and went over to the shining object at the cave entrance.

“How’s it going?” Shu Jun took the opportunity to turn his head and interview the only Erosion Swamp expert present.

“It’s still testing the waters.” Zhu Yanchen stared at the readings on the device. “When it detects an abnormal Erosion Swamp, the exploration team is inevitably the best. It seems that it intends to trap this team here. Then, in the next wave, and the next, until it is certain that humans really have no threats.”

Unlike Sweet Edge, which only sought death, this thing wanted them to use all their means to survive, as direct slaughter was too crude.

Before it confirmed that they were of no value, this Erosion Swamp wouldn’t attack on its own and would only observe quietly—after all, even if it did nothing, the air containing high-concentration erosion substance was enough to kill them.

‘I can’t just attack,’ Shu Jun thought. If he really defeated this Erosion Swamp, the “big boss of the Erosion Swamps” hidden behind it would definitely be alert. For now, it was best to find the missing team members as soon as possible and try to leave quietly.

But if they could also think of this, then the Erosion Swamp was likely thinking of it too.

Two hours passed, and the four of them had found nothing. The flashlight finally gave out, plunging them into darkness. Hu Yan sighed and began to use a cold light stick for illumination. The dim light illuminated the pitch-black rock walls, and the shadows pressing in from all sides felt more suffocating.

To conserve their energy, the trapped team members stopped shouting and began tapping the walls. The similar frequency tapping sounds came from all sides, making people shudder.

“I need a break… This mountain is about to break me, and there’s still no progress.”

Hu Yan had been fixing the cave all the way, and his physical exertion was the highest. Afraid of dropping the ball at a critical moment, he stopped and struggled to take a sip of the fluid food. The concentration of erosion substance here was too high, and even eating and drinking carried a high risk. Shu Jun watched him anxiously, silently suppressing the erosion around them.

The footsteps of the four people disappeared, leaving only the eerie sound of knocking echoing around them.

“Come to think of it, this ability is a bit like Sweet Edge’s.” Unable to withstand the oppressive atmosphere, Shu Jun muttered to Zhu Yanchen. “If this Erosion Swamp knew how to fill the human skin with something, I might not have recognized it at first.”

“Sweet Edge’s ability is ‘Creation’.” Zhu Yanchen stopped in his tracks. “To be precise, it uses erosion to construct structures similar to living beings. From the perspective of those four-legged monsters, her ability to control their appearance isn’t very strong.”

“Why?” Shu Jun asked curiously. He had obtained a similar creation ability, which allowed him to repair wounds. Neither he nor Zhu Yanchen had created anything as bizarre as those monsters.

“Because your repairs are partial and the original prototype remains. When she created those things, most of X City’s victims had been swallowed up by the Erosion Swamp. She could only extract information from the fragments of the bodies and create something similar to them.”

Zhu Yanchen’s voice was low and serious.

“This Erosion Swamp’s ability leans toward ‘Replication’. Rather than creating from scratch, it’s more like a mirror. If I’m not mistaken, it probably heard our conversation near the heavily eroded area and modified the content.”

Shu Jun understood. Since it was a mirror, it couldn’t reflect the interior. If it filled the layer of “human skin” with pure erosion substance, it would be more difficult to control the shape and more likely to be exposed.

“A mirror… A’Yan, let me confirm something.”

“Hmm?”

“Does it keep in contact with other Erosion Swamps?” Shu Jun glanced at the surrounding darkness. “The uninterrupted kind.”

“Can’t. The transmission of information through the erosion substance is more like sending letters. Even if it sends information outside regularly, there will still be a certain time delay.”

“I see.” Shu Jun rubbed his chin.

He gestured to the path that Hu Yan had opened up and stirred up a breeze around him, then fell into deep thought.

“Something’s not right,” Yu Jin suddenly said. “We’ve turned so many corners, but the distance of the knocking sound hasn’t changed much, and this part of the path behind us is too clean. I couldn’t find any human traces.”

“There’s still an hour left.” Hu Yan gritted his teeth. “This place isn’t that big? I don’t believe it.”

Shu Jun took the opportunity to pick up the topic. “Captain Hu, can you sense the situation of the entire mountain now that we’ve come this far?”

“Of course I can…” Hu Yan was really close to breaking through the mountain.

“Yu Jin, how many sources of knocking sounds are there around us?”

“Five. Why do you ask?”

“Captain Hu, open up all the channels where the knocking sounds are coming from. Can you do that if someone is directing the direction?”

“I can.” It seemed pointless and just a waste of energy, but Hu Yan recognized this tone—Shu Jun must have thought of something devious.

“Open them up now.”

Hu Yan and Yu Jin looked at each other. Hu Yan clicked his tongue and pressed his hand against the rock. Yu Jin’s skeptical gaze ran around Hu Yan, but he still cooperated obediently.

“That channel over there, and that one—I’ll mark them with a fluorescent pen,” he muttered, pointing them out.

The remains of the rocky mountain weren’t large, and under Hu Yan’s control, it trembled slightly, and a lot of fine dust poured down on the four of them.

Then the wind rose.

The wind was neither too strong nor too weak, and it blew forcefully against the cave wall. The dull collision sound came from all directions.

Ten human skin balloons were pushed all the way by the strong wind, rolling and bumping through the tunnel, and collapsed at the feet of the four.

“…It’s even more sinister than I thought,” Shu Jun murmured. “It didn’t even create a single group.”

Yu Jin’s mouth opened and closed—only players had abilities, and Hu Yan’s ability was clearly written on the player information. This wind didn’t seem natural, so it must also be an ability…

“It looks like we have to fight.” Shu Jun drew out his greatsword. “Lao Hu, lead the way.”

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