[Host!!!]
In the system’s frantic screams, the Pale King’s bone wings enveloped the entire laboratory.
Shen Jie’s reaction was quick. He reached for the nearby tray and grabbed the cutting knife to strike backward.
However, his body, just softened by the merging of consciousness, was slower than usual, and the attack was a bit sluggish.
The knife tip collided with the bone wings, emitting a piercing sound.
But it failed to cut through.
“Why… are you attacking me?” the entity behind him asked.
The pale arms grasping his cheeks were covered in sharp bone spurs, looking capable of piercing through, yet they felt icy and soft in reality. Upon touching his cheeks, they melted like wax, forming an arc that could envelop him.
The biggest difference from superpower humans was that after complete mutation, it could have perfect control over its own body.
The voice of the Pale King was also icy cold, calling him softly in confusion.
“…Huh, baby?”
The system’s frantic voice calling out to Shen Jie suddenly faltered.
Did it mishear?
Is the Pale King calling its host?
Baby?
No no no no, maybe not baby, but hug … But even if it’s hug, it’s still outrageous!
Shen Jie didn’t answer its question.
He only used the cutting knife to attack the other party in order to buy time.
Time to delay entering completely into the Pale King’s domain space.
The surrounding space was extremely distorted, the laboratory lights were all out, amidst a bewildering darkness, distant gray and pale scenes were being embedded frame by frame.
And the merging of consciousness between him and Zong Lin was almost complete.
No matter what, it had to be completed.
Zong Lin’s consciousness space had encountered major issues.
The difficulty of repairing it was initially rated as C in the plan he formulated just now, but now it had skyrocketed to S. Perhaps even higher.
He felt somewhat guilty.
Did he not care enough about his partner? How could he not even be aware of such a serious problem with the other person’s condition?
To solve the problem, it had to be done step by step.
Shen Jie released more restrictions in his soul, allowing the soul waves to penetrate into Zong Lin’s consciousness in a faster manner for soothing, while also allowing the chaotic consciousness of the other party to penetrate deeper.
Zong Lin’s eyelids twitched slightly.
The vast and gentle waves of sound surged, masking the outside clamor, but he keenly sensed something unusual beyond the calm.
Wanting to open his eyes, Shen Jie, however, used one hand to hold his chin, pressing his forehead tightly against his, and gasped, “Don’t think about anything else. Feel me.”
Shen Jie’s voice remained steady and trustworthy.
Although his other hand wielding the knife had already been held by the entity behind him.
The soft bone spurs on the bone wings wrapped around his palm along the blade, making him feel as if he were ensnared in a dense spider web.
He struggled. But couldn’t break free.
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 cold chest of the entity pressed tightly against his back, asking him, “Why… do you only talk to him, but not answer me?”
Ktbrf qjif tjcvr wbnfv vbkc ogbw tlr mtffxr.
Ktfc, atfs uglqqfv tlr cfmx.
Pa kjrc’a j obgmf atja rcjqqfv tlr cfmx lcrajcais, yea la kjrc’a iluta flatfg, pera fcbeut ab yibmx wbra bo atf jlgoibk, wjxlcu la vloolmeia ab ygfjatf.
Vtfc Alf kjr jigfjvs ujrqlcu gjqlvis, jcv atlr alwf, tf mbeivc’a mjamt tlr ygfjat, tlr fzqgfrrlbc yfmbwlcu rbwfktja qjlcfv.
Sweat trickled down his cheeks.
His hand holding Zong Lin’s chin trembled slightly.
Repair progress: 91%, 92%, 93%…
A section of bone spur on the Pale King’s index finger sharpened, poking at his Adam’s apple intermittently, as if contemplating where to make the cut.
96%, 97%, 98%, 99%…
—100%.
Zong Lin opened his eyes.
His blood-red pupils calmed from the chaos, the beastliness receding. He looked into Shen Jie’s dark eyes.
Still calm and embracing, deep as the sea, but because of the suffocation in his throat, there was an uncontrollable glimmer pouring out towards him.
Behind Shen Jie stood the completely transformed Pale King.
The pale bone armor covered most of the its face, and the remaining human part was as cold and pale as limestone. Massive bone wings overshadowed everything.
It gripped Shen Jie’s neck, the lips beside the bone armor curling into a mocking smile.
“Ah, the original body, you’re awake.”
Zong Lin’s pupils instantly sharpened and dilated.
“Release him!”
The Pale Spear instantly condensed in his hand, merging with the transformed arm, fiercely stabbing towards the Pale King!
The chaotic space twisted even more as the long spear cleaved through, fracturing like shattered mirrors.
The Pale King met it head-on.
It used the bone wing restraining Shen Jie’s right hand, causing Shen Jie’s body to be pulled forward.
Seeing the hand embedded in the bone wing coming towards the spear tip, Zong Lin’s pupils sharply contracted. His arm abruptly halted its force halfway, and the spear barely stopped before touching Shen Jie’s hand.
Although it didn’t touch the skin, the airflow from the spear tip still broke the skin on Shen Jie’s hand.
A drop of blood rolled down Shen Jie’s hand, splattering on the laboratory floor like a small fireworks display.
“If you dare to move again, I’ll crush his windpipe,” its voice rang out. “You know what? If he dies here, he’ll never be able to return to your reality.”
Zong Lin stared fixedly at Shen Jie’s injured area and asked, “What do you want?”
It replied, “Let me out. Perhaps I can let him stay here with you.”
Zong Lin fell silent.
The atmosphere froze, becoming tense.
Only the system continued to chatter in Shen Jie’s ear.
[Host, you never told me before that your partner is Zong Lin] the system’s tone was complex.
[He was supposed to almost fall into mutation due to severe injuries seven years ago. Although he was barely saved by the institute’s surgery, his condition has always been unstable.]
[While everyone in the institute was busy treating him, a traitor cut off the power and defense systems of the District 4, causing the escape of the institute’s aliens and resulting in a three-year widespread infection throughout the city.]
[During those three years, the aliens besieged the city, and Zong Lin led the members of the Cleaning Team to clear the pollution outside the city day and night, while the black smoke from the incinerators inside the city obscured the sky.]
[The protagonist, Chen Shushu, joined the team he was in. Because they both belonged to the ‘Soul’ category, Zong Lin taught him as his apprentice. Chen Shushu trusted his master very much, thinking that his master was a great hero protecting the city, and he also wanted to become such a hero, so he worked hard for it.]
[The city withstood the attacks of the aliens, and the pollution inside the city was gradually cleared away, and everything seemed to be getting better slowly.]
[But Chen Shushu did not expect that, at the very end of the three-year infection, Zong Lin mutated.]
[The superpower users transformed by their abilities will undergo evolutionary advancement within the category. At that time, Zong Lin was already Rank Two of the ‘Soul’ category. After mutating, the nearly Rank One-like Pale King caused unimaginable disasters to the city.]
[He is a hero. Also a sinner.]
[He is the mastermind behind the city’s fall.]
The system took a deep breath.
[Host, I don’t know how you managed to control his infection value until now, but obviously his level of infection is already too deep. Even the mutated consciousness has appeared in his consciousness space.]
[My advice is, at any cost, flee immediately. Then, find an opportunity to kill him.]
—-
At the town amusement park, the spinning teacups kept revolving.
In the water mirror held by the white-haired girl, the scene distorted and shifted. Amidst intense waves, only two blurry figures leaning against each other could be seen.
“It’s a pity that even with his powers out of control, Zong Lin didn’t accidentally kill his companion,” the voice of a child in the wind sounded regretful.
“However, his infection rate has reached 99%,” said the figure in black robes.
“He won’t last much longer. Soon, he’ll join us.”
The child asked eagerly, “When the ‘King’ descends, will he be happy to see his knights waiting here to greet him?”
The figure in black robes remained silent, stroking the blood-red dice in his hand.
Suddenly, a thin crack appeared above the dice.
The figure in black robes paused and said, “Grape, put away the mirror, you’ve been spotted.”
“Yes, sir,” obeyed the white-haired girl, about to retract the water mirror. However, she saw the scene in the water mirror suddenly disappear, turning pitch black.
At the same time, an arrow shot out simultaneously from both sides of the water mirror, swiftly piercing towards the girl and the figure in black robes opposite her!
The girl couldn’t dodge in time, and the arrow pierced through her chest, spewing out a large amount of transparent blood from her mouth.
The figure in black robes swiftly raised his hand, grabbing the arrow that had been shot towards him. The sharp arrow cut through his palm.
Dark blood flowed down, burning through the floor of the teacup and searing the circuits.
The joyous spinning teacups came to a halt.
The figure in black robes lowered his head, and the smooth silver mask slowly slid down.
He stared intently at the arrow in his palm, exerting force with his fingers to break the arrow, and uttered a name in an extremely cold tone.
“Zhu, Wu, You…”
—-
City Core Area, Observation Center Tower.
At the top of the tower was a sealed room.
The narrow room lacked sunlight, with walls covered in black-red talismans, and purple curtains hanging from the ceiling.
In the center of a black carpet, a person kneeled.
This person was dressed in a wide wizard robe, eyes closed, head bowed, with sharp cheekbones and long hair cascading down.
Beside him lied a longbow.
At this moment, the room seemed to be under assault by some unknown force, with the gauzy curtains constantly fluttering, and the runes on the walls emitting waves of red light, many of them burning and destroying themselves.
Not far away, a communicator was blinking with green light, and Tong Lan’s voice emanated from inside.
“Teacher Zhu, I don’t understand! Why do you allow Zong Lin to stay in the city? He’s too dangerous, he could fall at any moment! I’ve even seen scenes of his fall many times in my dreams…”
Tong Lan’s voice paused, as if plunging into deep fear and despair, he continued with a trembling voice.
“…The Pale King swoops across the black sky, bone spurs piercing souls like rain, creatures wail, and the city falls. Immortal nightmares rise from the bones, bringing agony to all living beings…”
“Stop it!”
The person addressed as “Teacher Zhu” suddenly interrupted, but his voice was too urgent, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
Tong Lan sensed something was wrong, “Teacher, what’s happening to you?”
Teacher Zhu: “I’ve already told you, Tong Lan, don’t interfere with matters concerning Zong Lin, and don’t use your abilities to peer into the yet-to-happen future.”
Tong Lan: “But as observers of the ‘Fate’ category, isn’t it our duty to—”
“That’s enough!” Teacher Zhu interrupted. “Tong Lan, take a few days off and let Chi Xu come in for duty.”
With that, a purple curtain fell over the communication device, cutting off the call.
At the same time, Teacher Zhu doubled over, blood continuously flowing from his mouth, dripping down his chin, even containing several visceral fragments.
Not far away, the purple curtain twisted into a bundle, tapping the communication device repeatedly, dialing another number.
After a few seconds of waiting, a cold male voice emanated from the communication device: “Zhu Wu You?”
Zhu Wu You, chin smeared with blood, gasped, “Shi Chen, there’s trouble at Lab 1. I couldn’t stop ‘it’ this time.”
Shi Chen: “I see. But you and ‘it’ have always balanced each other. Why couldn’t you stop it this time?”
Zhu Wu You: “‘It’ used human blood sacrifice this time, disrupting the observation. Moreover, aliens of the same level are inherently stronger than ability users, and not everyone can handle it like Zong Lin… *cough, cough, cough*”
Shi Chen: “Are you injured?”
Zhu Wu You didn’t answer, just swallowed the blood in his throat and muttered, “Shi Chen, Zong Lin absolutely cannot fall now… I’ve said it before, he’s the key pivot in influencing ‘Fate’… Only he can contain the threat from the King of the aliens…”
Shi Chen: “I understand. I’ll take care of it.”
“Please… I’m counting on you.”
—-
[To save the city and the world, kill it.]
The system’s voice echoed.
Shen Jie’s neck was still gripped by the Pale King, his head slightly tilted back. The suffocation made his pulse race rapidly, limbs involuntarily spasming, heart pounding fiercely.
Zong Lin was close to him.
He could see his reflection in the other’s eyes.
A soft, fragile, hostage human.
The spear that usually pierced the aliens’ heart and soul unimpeded stopped abruptly before him. Taut muscles and burgeoning bone flowers entangled, crimson pupils filled with fervor.
[Host, your current situation is very dangerous. Later, I will attempt to release electrical signals to stimulate your brain to see if it can bring back your consciousness and forcibly detach you from Zong Lin’s consciousness space. The opportunity is fleeting, so please make sure to seize it——]
Shen Jie finally spoke, slowly.
“Kill him?”
“Don’t even think about it.”
Thank you for the chapters! ❤
Oof- so, I’m assuming Shen Jie is the “King” and his love for Zong Lin is the only reason this world hasn’t ended yet… and all these aliens and the System urging for the mutation/death of Zong Lin is only gonna piss Shen Jie off~ 😂🤣
I’m guessing about the same. I am curious where the system really came from though
Ii’m thinking along the same lines 🙂
Me too !
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Oh my, everything is so tense 😬
Thank you for the update ☺️
Thanks for the chapters… I can’t stop the binge! 🤣❤️
Thank you for the chapters!!!❤
Gracias por los capítulos!!!❤🥲🥲
Yay! I have finally catched up! 😆😆
Thanks for the chapter ☺️☺️
i just know one thing, if zong lin died this world will end immediately
Uh oh Shen Jie is going to take the gloves off