The large, steel doors slide open. It is the only opening in the dome-shaped surface, leading inside a place vastly different than the outside. The dichotomy is night and day โ while the slums is a wasteland, the city is a densely packed maze. At the entrance reveals a tunnel-like corridor that tapers to the main civilian section.
Bright fluorescent lights shine on the two young men as they soon as they enter.
Panels surround them in all directions, flashing harsh glints of steel. There are cameras that peek out the corners. Their bodies are mirrored in every degree and even their boots are reflected off the paneled ground. The sensors โ small black devices placed on the wall โ blink rapidly in red. In a matter of seconds, blaring beeps and rings are heard. The empty corridor reverberates the sounds even louder.
Yang Rong clicks his tongue. โFuck. Turn it off.โ
โI canโt,โ Shi Luo sighs. โIt doesnโt matter, Yang Rong. Just follow my cue and donโt mess around.โ
โMess around? When have I everโ”
The doctor walks toward the second entrance, presses several buttons on the door panel, and waits for the intercom to light up green. โShi Luo, laboratory six. Iโve come alongside Colonel Yang Rong, Unit One,โ he speaks curtly. โThere are several lab specimens I want sent to the sorting facility. Requesting authorization to enter the city.โ
The screening process is long โ flashes of red overtake the corridor, and another series of buzzes sound out.
โGround penetrating radar,โ Shi Luo explains as they stand in wait. โTheyโve upgraded the systems recently. Weโd have to issue a new set of blocker cards to bypass authorization now.โ
โHow irritating.โ
โAnd whose fault was it to carelessly breach the Nordak cryobank?โ Shi Luo gives the colonel an unamused look. โSecurity measures have gotten more stringent since then.โ
An automated response comes from the speaker overhead. โAbnormal readings detected. Abnormal readings detected.โ The voice repeats it twice before triggering another reply. โDeploying border patrol unit 6108. Deploying border patrol unit 6108.โ
Not even five seconds after, the entrance door slides open. In comes a group of navy-clad men โ or women as well, though itโs hard to tell from the protective gear that covers them fully. Theyโre equipped with masks, and theyโre carrying heavy assault rifles.
โRaise your hands,โ one of the men orders. โBe prepared for a genetic screening. If the readings are above ten percent, your entry will be prohibited.โ
โThere is no need,โ Shi Luo replies. He waves a hand at Yang Rong. โThis is Colonel Yang whose radioactive readings fluctuate between ten to twenty percent. The Nexus has granted special permission for his entry, and I am in charge of his case. Connect me with the terminal.โ
The man weighs his words and then nods. He pulls out a square-shaped device, speaks a few curt words, and then almost immediately afterward, the mechanical voice comes through.
โSC-001315 Shi Luo. SX-001288 Yang Rong. Data confirmed. Entry permitted.โ
The blaring sirens are disabled. The two of them are led inside.
โThe specimens are outside the entry point,โ Shi Luo says to the patrol unit. โPlease inform the deliverers to handle with care and transport them to repository C.โ
Theyโve now entered the city. Containing a population nearing four hundred thousand, the streets and corners are lit up even after dark. Ahead of them are dome-shaped shelters, hard cement buildings, square facilities โ all things reminiscent of pre-doomsday Earth. The architecture is quite minimal, and the colors are lackluster slate grays.
โโฆA strange feeling,โ Yang Rong comments as he stares into the distance, looking up at the dark skies. โThe lights are different than in my memories. What were they calledโฆ? I donโt see them as clearly. And thereโs an odd covering over the skies. Iโm seeing interesting colors.โ
โAuroras. Weโre further from Earthโs magnetic poles,โ Shi Luo informs. Already, heโs started to make his way forward, walking down the streets in a practiced fashion. โAnd your retinas are more evolved to see magnetic frequencies. Mutated variants are more sensitive to dipole shifts.โ
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The doctor looks up, squints a bit, and frowns. He licks his lips and seems to ponder it some. โโฆI suppose I can see them more clearly than before as well.โ
Dfobgf Tjcu Ebcu mjc defralbc atf lwqilmjalbcr, atf vbmabg wbalbcr tlw obgkjgv. โQfโnf olnf wlceafr yfobgf atf rewwla wffalcu. Ktf ubnfgcwfca obix vbcโa ajxf ajgvlcfrr nfgs kfii.โ
Ktf akb qjrr atgbeut mlas ragffar jcv mibrfv-vbkc rtbqr. Yc atf batfg tjcv, atf tbrafir jcv qeyr jgf yerailcu klat jmalnlas. Ktfgf jgf rfgnlmf kbgxfgr vgfrrfv lc atlc, qgbnbmjalnf mibatlcu, qeiilcu ysrajcvfgr lcab cbcvfrmglqa qijmfr.
Someone bumps into Shi Luo purposefully. Sheโs an omega woman โ her pheromones are very telling. โWould this gentleman care to enter?โ she says demurely, brushing back a lock of brown hair. โSixty for a full package, an additional twenty for overnight, ten per extra hourโฆ but a complimentary service in the morning just for you, handsome.โ
Shi Luo laughs politely and only tells her, โThank you. Perhaps another time.โ
Smitten, the woman giggles and then turns to the companion next to him. โAnd what about thisโoh my!โ Her eyes brighten in recognition. โIf it isnโt Colonel Yang! Iโll lower the price for a return customer, especially for a stunning hulk like you. How about it? Would you purchase the full package this time?โ
โโฆโ Yang Rong coughs slightly. โNo, Iโveโฆ Iโve turned over a new leaf.โ
โOh?โ She laughs sweetly. โTo think the active Colonel would be so shy. No matter, sweetheart. Youโre way more brazen in bed from what I can reโ”
โDonโt say anymore,โ Yang Rong says, holding up a hand in grief. โMy partner is clingy, alright? Donโt say anymore. Donโt bring up a shameful past.โ
The woman whistles and taps him once on the forehead. โLook at you, Yang Rongโฆ! A year since Iโve seen you and already youโve settled downโฆ Surely itโs a temporary commitment? One among a three-mile line of โloversโ?โ
โIt isnโt,โ he replies righteously. โIโve reached enlightenment.โ
And yet, when the beautiful woman walks away giggling, Yang Rong stares extra long at the hostel. It is only with a nudge from a very displeased Shi Luo that he jolts upward. The doctor gives him a very long lookโฆ to which Yang Rong unfruitfully defends himself.
He says, โโฆI wasnโt thinking anything improper. I was only thinking of several other activities that Noah and Iโfuck, look, Shi Luo, I have strong sexual needsโ”
โImproper regardless,โ Shi Luo informs him. โStop dawdling, Yang Rong, and focus on the task at hand.โ
โWhat?โ Yang Rong says as he takes large strides down the street. โI am very focused.โ
Or so is what Yang Rong said, but his eyes are narrowed and blazed. Another person accidentally bumps into him, and Yang Rong is immediately agitated.
โWhat?!โ he yells out, grabbing the person by the collar and hoisting them two feet into the air. โWhat is it now?! Iโm not interested! I said Iโm taken! Iโmโฆ Iโm fucking married! Iโm a faithful husband, alright?!โ
The person he verbally (and probably physically) assaults is a young boy with black hair and equally as dark eyes. Very familiar, as is his stoic expression, his gaze drilling deep into Yang Rongโs disturbed soul.
โโฆโ Yang Rong clears his throat and puts him back down on the ground. โLittle kid, what brings you here?โ
โIt has been a while, Colonel Yang.โ The boy, Ming Tang, nods at him. โCongratulations on your marriage.โ
โโฆโ Yang Rong replies, โThanks.โ
Shi Luo interjects and goes straight into business. โMing Tang, youโve come. As Iโve instructed earlier, head into repository C with my assistant. Make sure XieโNoah is sent safely.โ He reaches into his pocket and takes out a golden badge. โTake this. If there are any problems, inform them youโve been sent by me.โ
The encounter is brief โ the boy nods, takes the badge and walks off. While Yang Rong is still in a state of nonrecovery, Shi Luo strikes him on the back of his shoulder (purposefully close to his healing wound) and beckons for him to hurry.
Finally, after some minutes more, they arrive in the city center and stand right in front of a tall building entirely encased in concrete, strengthened with steel bars. Next to the closed entrance is a rectangular device โ also made of steel.
โโฆFingerprint?โ Yang Rong frowns. โVoice authorization as well. Certainly, the security has gotten more stringent.โ
Shi Luo places his palm on the rectangular frame and speaks lowly into the intercom. โShi Luo. Requesting access to the tenth floor.โ
The device lights up green. The same mechanical voice sounds out, โConfirmed.โ
Yang Rong does the same. โYang Rong. Access to the tenth floor.โ
โConfirmed.โ
The door slides open.
Inside looks just as dreary as out โ a slated building, lifeless even though itโs lit by white fluorescents. The design is as expected for any government building. To the side are security guards wearing the same navy-blue uniform as all the patrol guards, their faces all covered under a valved mask. The security really is stringent, for it takes another five minutes of thorough body examination before the two are allowed into the elevator.
Yang Rong leans against the elevator wall, his expression stoic. When the colonel keeps his mouth shut, he really is the epitome of poise โ his stature calm and collected, his eyes sharp and cognizant. Despite being bedridden an hour prior, he displays no weaknesses. Only the small peek of bandages shows any signs of injury โ but even then, Yang Rong hides it roguishly.
They reach the tenth floor, head down a hallway, and it is another two screenings later that they arrive inside a conference room. There are guards that surround the entire area as well โ all of the same uniformed patrol blazoned on every corner of the room. The environment is less than friendly.
By the roundtable, over twenty individuals have already gathered. Theyโre all high-ranking officials and if their uniforms donโt denote their status, then their stern, no-nonsense expressions do. Thereโs an ongoing discussion. A few snippets are overheard.
โThe shipment batch is much larger than usual. The contents may be of interest to the science divisionโฆโ
โThe retrieval operation is headed byโฆโ
โAnd in relation to the embryo results from the lastโโ
Upon the two young menโs entry, all conversations stop. The atmosphere becomes suddenly, incredibly stifling.
Shi Luo gives a polite smile in greeting as he takes an empty seat. Yang Rong straightforwardly ignores all the eyes on him and similarly grabs a seat next to Shi Luo. Everyone else leaves at least a five-meter distance between them. Conversation doesnโt start until the intermediary taps the table twice.
โWe are still awaiting General Xie,โ the man says. โFor the sake of time, we will continue without his showing. Dr. Shi, Colonel Yang, a pleasure to have you here.โ
โYou may skip the formalities,โ Shi Luo says politely. โI am also on a time constraint.โ
A snort comes from a middle-aged man to the right. Heโs dressed to the nines in a suit and a perfectly knotted tie, but even his attire doesnโt hide his sloven personality. He sneers. โOnce again, the all-important Doctor Shi is late to a formal meeting. And how shameless of you to say youโre on a time constraint!โ
โA pleasure to see you again, Mr. Huang,โ Shi Luo replies amicably, giving an attractive smile. โAlthough your fixation on me is much flattering, I regret to inform youโre far from my ideal. Please, if you may, Iโd like to keep to more professional conversations in the workplace.โ
Before the other can retort, the officiator rings a table bell. โKeep all private conversations to a minimum, Dr. Shi, Mr. Huang.โ The man is strict, not allowing the talk to stray. He looks ahead, stares straight at the uninterested Yang Rong, and says, โLet us begin with Colonel Yangโs statement. There are several pressing questions โ some of which you are aware of, we presume.โ
โBeginning with an interrogation already?โ Yang Rong smirks slowly. โWell, go ahead.โ
โThe first concern is your infection. Dr. Shi has given affirmation that the possibility of airborne transmission is near zero,โ the speaker says. โHowever, the radiation is still inert in your body. Youโve hidden your symptoms in the line of duty, marking one account of protocol breach. Military personnel are to report any and every abnormality. As such, you are liable for arrest.โ
The officiator continues, โThe second offense is your neglect in the cryobank incident. Five hundred thousand pounds of genetic material have been lost, sixty thousand unrecoverable samples, three thousand preserved embryos.โ
โThe third offense, major, is directly abandoning duty. You have not provided your whereabouts for two weeks after disappearance. The fourth offense, extreme, is suspected homicide. You have blocked communications andโ”
โItโd be best for you save your breath,โ Yang Rong interrupts. โIf you were to link my every action, the allegations would be unending.โ
โThe fifth offense,โ the speaker continues, โis that you are suspected of hiding codename XX-001, the Nexusโ first wanted hybrid. Colonel Yang Rong, we require multiple explanations from you. What is 001 and your relation with it?โ
โI fail to understand โwhatโ it is that you are referring to,โ the colonel replies, leaning back against his seat. His posture indicates apathy and yet, thereโs brewing tension in his form.
โWeโd like for you to cooperate in the investigation. You are aware of the hybridโs worth to humankind, Colonel Yang.โ
โThe hybridโฆโ Yang Rong chuckles lowly. โHe is only a runaway stray, worth more to me than to humankind.โ
โColonelโ”
โColonel Yang is retired,โ Yang Rong interrupts. โI believe Iโve made it clear I want no relations with the military.โ
โYouโโ
โโIt is useless to talk to him,โ another person cuts in. The speaker is Huang, the same man whoโd instigated a fight with Shi Luo. He slaps a hand on the table (much to the chagrin of the people around him) and stands up for attention. Huang has the same sneer on his face when he says, โIโm telling you all that this Yang right here is sleeping with it. How else would you explain his sudden infection? Illicit relations with a hybrid! And an omega tooโyouโve seen the way that pretty little thing looks. Why donโt we have Yang tell us more? Have you knocked it up yet? How does it feel toโ”
Yang Rong ruthlessly kicks the side of the table, propelling the entire one-thousand-pound thing to the other side, purposefully hitting the middle-aged manโs torso. It is simply unfortunate that several others are caught in the conflict as well โ not like Yang Rong cares a bit for their wellbeing.
Immediately, the security guards rush forward, their weapons equipped, their rifles pointed toward Yang Rong. The meeting officials collectively move backward, eyeing the colonel warily. Yang Rong kicks the table again โ this time, snapping apart a leg and toppling it over.
โIโve only agreed to join this meeting out of courtesy,โ he says coldly. โDo not go overboard.โ
Huang abruptly stands up, his face reddening in anger. He spews one insult after another, all professionalism tossed out in the face of anger. โLock him up! Lock the bastard up! Heโs infected!โ
โThen you should be sure to lock me up properly,โ Yang Rong says as he stands up, already preparing to end the conversation. โElse Iโd break away easily.โ
dum dum theater:
yang rong: rong-ge is a faithful husband!
yang rong: rong-ge is a family man!
noah: were you looking at that woman’s chest?
yang rong: …
noah: how many others have you slept with?
yang rong: .
lmao poor ming tang ๐
thanks for the chapter~
ming tang was a very good sport about it ๐ญ he even gave his full support and congratulations
ming tang ๐๐ anyway dont just kick him yr, beat him! how dare he talk abt your love like that ๐ ๐ ๐
yr’s past have been busted ๐๐๐
-director’s cut-
noah: how many others have you slept with
yang rong: .
yang rong: baby, there is no one else
yang rong: it is only you.
PLEASE IM CRACKING ๐๐
Yes, Noah… stab YR more… ahahahahahaha, until he become your faithful ‘slave’.
Another note… there will always be a superior/colleague like that at workplace huh…
another another note… between YR and Noah; which side is more clingy than the other?
noah is the clingier one (surprising?!)
argh! those military men calling Noah “it.” now whose fault is it that they even know about Noah?? GENERAL XIE?! right? when he raided the building. writes name down
thanks for the chapter <3
general xieeee come and solve the problems you created ๐
Hope this Huang guy loses one or two limbs in the near future..
it’s ok he’s so minor of a character that his death may be off-screen too
Lmao.. ๐
Thanks for the chapter..
Little Ming Tang~ back but for how long ๐
And would YR care to transform this “meeting” into a bloodbath? ๐ช
ming tang gets his own little ending too ๐คง
General Xie, where are you? Come and shoulder the blame for all this mess because, after all, you’re the root cause of all these. Hurry! Come and I promise I’ll try to forgive you.
Thanks for the chapter. โก
๐๐๐ i wonder what’s a proper ending for general xie…
Kick him harder YR! As a faithful and married family man you have to defend your little kitten!
Thanks for the chapter!
that’s right, family man yang rong must prove his husband status ๐ช
Thanks for the new chapter!!!!
thank you for readingg ๐
Did I infer this right?
Yang Rong definitely has his sexual needs which has probably not been fulfilled for months. Although he has his desires and his previous go-to hostel in front of him, yet he still chose to remind himself that he’s faithful and wants to stay loyal to Noah, and that right there is love.
Or am I reading too much into this? Somebody tell me ๐
yr has been fighting in the frontlines so he hasnt a chance to go back to the city and quell yr jr.
his first thought when he found noah in that snowy mountain was “1000/10 would definitely bang”
๐ (though at this point theyre already dating and if yr is thinking of
getting it down with other people, noah will slap him to the moon)
but yes i like your explanation more, let’s go with that one and pretend yr is a good faithful man
โIโve reached enlightenment.โ HAHAHA oh, Yang Rong, you absolute clown. I love you! (Also, please kick Huang where it hurts next!!!) Also, I love Ming Tang. Sweet, expressionless child.
i finally gave the boy the screentime he deserves ๐ญ too bad it’s near the end of the novel IM SORRY MING TANG
Gah, Don`t slander my Rong ge, hes turned over a leaf, okay!!!??
Also, Rong-ge you absolute playboy lmaooo, though now I’m glad your loyalty only lies with Noah. AND MING TANG, YOU’RE BACK. I’ve missed you, in the duration you were gone, and the duration I haven’t been reading. It was too short T^T but it’s okay… I’m happy to see you anyway…!!
I also, I’m ready to throw hands. At. That. (insert words not okay to comment) Huang, you little– I’m RaGinggG how dare they talk bout Noah like that. HOW DARE YOU CALL NOAH AN IT???!
On the one hand, I do want that Huang person to have his procreative parts kicked into non-functionality. On the other hand, I really don’t want YR to get locked up–at least not separately from Noah…