Zong Lin tried very hard.
Shen Jie estimated that tonight’s dinner should also have a 20% strength buff and a continuous buff.
In any case, this evening was very happy. The lamb was indeed worth buying.
When he got up, it was already noon. Zong Lin went to make lunch first. Because it was an open space, the bed and the living room were connected, and the kitchen was in one corner of the living room. Shen Jie sat up straight from the bed and could see Zong Lin wearing an apron, frying eggs.
Zong Lin looked serious while cooking, cracking eggs and seasoning meticulously. But there were a bunch of fluffy yellow chicks on the apron, which looked very… cute.
Zong Lin’s phone was still on the bedside table, along with his, which was originally a couple’s edition. His was white, and Zong Lin’s was black.
It was inconvenient that the phone was broken, so he took Zong Lin’s phone, entered the password to unlock it, and ordered the same model of phone through the city express delivery app.
When paying, he used Zong Lin’s personal account points. Shen Jie checked the balance and found it was a bit low.
After all, most of the salary Zong Lin earned from completing missions ended up in his account effortlessly, with a long string of zeros following several digits. It was estimated that buying several buildings in the downtown area wouldn’t be a problem.
So he scanned his face, verified his fingerprint, and also linked his own card to Zong Lin’s phone.
The estimated delivery time for the was 30 minutes.
Shen Jie wasn’t in a hurry anyway, as Steven had arranged a seven-day leave for him.
The morning sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, and Shen Jie lazily lay down for a while before deciding to get up and freshen up.
When he got up, his legs felt a bit weak, almost causing him to lose balance. Luckily, he had experience, so he reached out and steadied himself against the nearby wall. He managed to stabilize himself.
After freshening up, he slumped from the bed to the sofa, waiting for the meal to be ready.
Zong Lin’s cooking skills weren’t as proficient as his, but they were still passable. Probably due to his frequent outdoor life, he was good at simple grilling and frying meat. At the moment, he was frying steak, and the aroma wafted out a bit.
At that moment, the doorbell rang.
Shen Jie got up lazily and walked over.
“Hello,” the delivery guy in a blue uniform greeted through the doorbell camera, “Here’s your delivery.”
Shen Jie opened the door a crack and reached out to take the delivery, then went back to his room to unpack it.
The new phone was exactly the same as the previous one, with built-in facial recognition. Once activated, it corresponded to the resident ID as the phone number.
In the city, everyone’s ID and phone number were unique for life.
He scanned his face for verification, and the phone started ringing incessantly with “ding ding ding” sounds.
There were messages from Professor Xu, Steven, and Ke Xi Ya, as well as several unfamiliar numbers.
Just then, another call came in, displaying the caller as “Dr. Lin.”
In the city, each resident could collect thirty free infection prevention and treatment pills every month, and enjoy the rights of urban residents and various basic infrastructure services, but there was a condition.
Every city resident had to undergo monthly routine physical examinations and psychological condition assessments.
Physical examinations were conducted at City One Resident Hospital, while psychological condition assessments were generally conducted online.
Each resident was assigned a dedicated online psychologist, and they usually did not change arbitrarily.
Like this Dr. Lin, who has been responsible for him for ten years.
In Shen Jie’s rather limited social interactions, Dr. Lin could be considered an acquaintance.
However, their routine assessment time was fixed on the fifteenth of every month, so why was Dr. Lin calling him now?
Shen Jie answered the phone.
“Mr. Shen, I apologize for disturbing you during lunchtime,” Dr. Lin spoke from the other end, his voice as gentle and approachable as ever, typical of a psychologist. “I heard you encountered mist on your way home on the subway?”
Shen Jie replied, “Yes.”
Dr. Lin continued, “Here’s the situation. According to city management regulations, city residents who have encountered mist need to undergo a detailed psychological counseling session. There were very few survivors of this mist incident, and the city is very concerned about your situation. Can you please come to Psychological Treatment Center this afternoon?”
Shen Jie felt a bit lazy and didn’t want to move much. “Can’t it be done online?”
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.
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Ktlr mlas wluta rffw yerailcu, yea lar geifr kfgf raglma.
If one violated the regulations, the next day, the Public Security Bureau would come knocking on the door.
Shen Jie didn’t want trouble in his ordinary life, so he reluctantly said, “Okay.”
While they were on the call, Zong Lin had already prepared lunch, set the table with all the dishes, and walked over to call Shen Jie.
Shen Jie still lounged on the sofa as if boneless. He wore a loose-fitting black silk loungewear, which contrasted with his cold white complexion.
Having been fed too much yesterday, he wasn’t really hungry.
Zong Lin lifted him up entirely, saying, “Time to eat.”
Shen Jie was placed gently in the soft seat, and upon seeing the heart-shaped fried egg on the plate, he couldn’t help but smile.
He had always had a poor appetite, especially when tired, but now he felt inclined to pick up his fork and knife.
“I’m going to the Psychological Treatment Center this afternoon,” he said.
Zong Lin nodded and placed the carefully sliced steak on his plate, saying, “Eat more. I’ll take you there later.”
—-
In the afternoon, it started raining in the city.
The sky darkened a bit, and people walked along the streets holding umbrellas.
Zong Lin was driving, with Shen Jie in the passenger seat.
Due to the weather, Shen Jie felt a bit drowsy.
“We’re here,” Zong Lin said.
The Psychological Treatment Center was located in the outer city service area. It resembled a hospital, a white building with over thirty floors and many windows on each floor. A huge red heart symbol was embedded in the center’s sign.
There were many people coming and going at the entrance.
Facing the Psychological Treatment Center was the Mental Soothing Center.
While the Psychological Treatment Center served all ordinary city residents, the Mental Soothing Center catered specifically to those with abilities.
The central part of the sign was a huge pink glowing heart, its halo spreading out in the rain and fog, very conspicuous.
Although there were fewer people with abilities than ordinary people, there were more people coming in and out on that side than at the Psychological Treatment Center. Those entering seemed urgent, while those leaving had a flush on their faces and smiles.
Zong Lin parked the car and said, “I’ll wait here for you.”
Shen Jie glanced at the sign of the Mental Soothing Center and asked, “Not going anywhere ?”
Zong Lin nodded, “Not going anywhere.”
So Shen Jie got out of the car and walked into the Psychological Treatment Center.
Upon entering the lobby, he happened to see Chen Shushu coming out from inside.
Walking with Chen Shushu was the woman who had been on the subway with her little girl. Her face was wrapped in bandages as she murmured, “Would my little girl be comfortable alone in the treatment room? How’s the food here? She’s still growing, she needs good nutrition…”
Chen Shushu comforted, “Children’s psychological adjustment is usually quick. In general, they can go home in about half a month, and it won’t have much impact.”
The woman paused, then turned back, saying, “I still want to accompany her. She just had the infected tissue removed, and if not properly cared for, the wound might get infected. No, I need to go back and talk to the doctor.”
Chen Shushu hurriedly stopped her, saying, “Hey, Aunt Jiang, this violates hospital regulations. The doctor reminded you just now…”
Experienced nurses from the Psychological Treatment Center quickly approached, politely blocking her path and asking, “Madam, may we help you with something?”
Aunt Jiang said, “I want to go back and see my daughter…”
“Your daughter is currently undergoing treatment, forcibly interrupting it may lead to adverse consequences. Perhaps you could inform us of any specific concerns.” The nurse handed her a small notebook and said, “We are trained professionals and will pay close attention to your daughter’s condition throughout. Rest assured, we will ensure she receives the best care.”
Aunt Jiang was reluctantly pacified, picking up the notebook and pen to jot down notes, muttering, “She doesn’t eat pumpkin, doesn’t drink milk, allergic to onions…”
The nurses patiently surrounded her, listening attentively. Dressed in pink nurse uniforms, they were all attractive, making for a comfortable sight.
Chen Shushu stood among the group of beautiful women, feeling a bit light-headed.
When he saw Shen Jie, his wandering gaze suddenly focused, and he walked over in three quick steps, “Professor Shen, are you also here for psychological counseling?”
Yesterday, after awakening as an ability user and being rescued, the ability users at the City Defense Bureau briefed him on some common knowledge about ability users. He learned that for the sake of his infection value, he needed to quickly make an appointment with the research institute to produce and coordinate the wearing of suppressors.
When he logged onto the research institute’s suppressor appointment website, he immediately saw Shen Jie among the coordinating researchers.
Even among a group of very eye-catching coordinators, Shen Jie stood out as exceptionally outstanding.
However, when he eagerly went to make an appointment, he realized that the queue number had already reached two years later.
…Two years, by the time he saw Shen Jie again, perhaps the other party would have forgotten about him.
Encountering him here today, he must seize the opportunity.
Chen Shushu encouraged himself inwardly.
Shen Jie nodded slightly and looked towards Aunt Jiang, “What happened to her daughter?”
Chen Shushu sighed, saying, “She didn’t pass the test and has to continue staying at the Psychological Treatment Center for counseling. But Xiao Ya’s situation is special, as you know, yesterday after we were rescued by the rescue team, she just underwent surgery to remove the infected area, the stitches haven’t even been removed yet, and she’s young. Aunt Jiang definitely can’t bear to leave her alone and wants to accompany her through the treatment. But the Psychological Treatment Center has regulations against companionship, sigh.”
“…Xiao Ya?”
Chen Shushu explained, “Jiang Ting Ya, Aunt Jiang’s daughter, it’s quite a nice name.”
Shen Jie recalled the little girl on the subway, who would look at him with bright eyes and say, “Big brother is amazing.”
He once had a sister too. Coincidentally, her name was also Xiao Ya.
But that was a long, long time ago.
Shen Jie stood still for a moment, watching Aunt Jiang continuously explaining details to the nurses.
Chen Shushu nervously rubbed his hands beside him and said, “Professor Shen, since we’ve coincidentally met again, should we exchange contact information…? The doctor just suggested that I go to the nearby Mental Soothing Center for some relaxation. I was thinking, after I finish there, I could treat you to a meal.”
Shen Jie glanced at him, “Thank you. But I never let students treat me to meals. You should save some money for yourself and have a good meal.”
He almost said the words “poor student.”
Chen Shushu blushed, “I-I’m already interning, and I’ll graduate by the end of the year. Besides, I’ve awakened my ability, so after completing the training at the Ability Training Institute, I can join a Cleaning Team. By then, I’ll have plenty of salary…”
[Hmph, training as a “Soul” ability user is not easy. When the time comes, Zong Lin will teach him what it means to lose hair in bunches and cry uncontrollably.]
The system’s voice suddenly popped up.
Shen Jie: “After all, how come you’re willing to wake up again?”
[What do you mean by ‘willing to wake up again’? I’ve always been by your side.] The system blushed, [It’s just that you’ve been cuddling with your partner all this time, so I entered hibernation to respect your privacy.]
Shen Jie merely smiled at the system’s notion of “respecting privacy” without commenting.
While Chen Shushu was still trying to prove his abilities, Shen Jie interrupted him and took out a business card from his pocket, pinching it between his two slender fingers and handing it over.
“Don’t bother going to the Mental Soothing Center; the suppressive effect there isn’t that great. Here’s my business card. When you have time, come to the research institute to wear the suppressor. Let me know two days in advance, no need for an appointment.”
Chen Shushu held the business card as if it were a treasure, his eyes shining as he looked at him, saying, “Professor Shen, then the day after tomorrow…”
“Oh, right,” Shen Jie added, “Don’t look for me this week.”
Chen Shushu asked, “Why?”
Shen Jie calmly replied, “Vacation. Honeymooning with my partner.”
Overcoming the shock and turning into a stone statue, Chen Shushu watched as Shen Jie took the elevator and arrived at the 33rd floor of the Psychological Treatment Center, to room 3301 as Dr. Lin had previously informed him.
Shen Jie knocked on the door.
“Please come in,” came Dr. Lin’s voice from inside the room.
Shen Jie opened the door and saw Dr. Lin sitting behind the desk in the examination room, waiting for him.
Although they had known each other for ten years, Shen Jie had very few encounters with Dr. Lin. The last time they met was seven years ago when his infection value suddenly surged from 7 to 77. Because of the rapid increase, a detailed examination was necessary.
Dr. Lin had a refined appearance, much more mature than seven years ago, appearing to be in his early thirties with a few white strands in his short hair. Wearing a pair of black-framed glasses, he exuded a gentle demeanor.
“Mr. Shen, you’re here,” Dr. Lin said as Shen Jie took a seat in front of him.
Dr. Lin pushed a psychological assessment test and a pen towards him, saying gently, “As usual, let’s start with the test.”
[Dr. Lin Ze, why is it him?] The system’s voice sounded surprised.
“Why?”
Shen Jie glanced at the psychological assessment test and began to answer the questions with the pen in hand.
They were all very ordinary and common questions that one might encounter in the city.
Even children could understand them.
For example, there was a scenario where a tram was out of control and rushing towards you. There were two tracks to choose from: one with a single person tied to it, and the other with a group of people. Which track would you choose for the tram to go towards?
A. The track with the single person;
B. The track with the group of people;
C. Neither, turn around and run away;
D. Neither, lie down on any track.
According to the urban principle of “the overall interest of humanity above all else,” the answer was undoubtedly A.
There were no other options.
Seven years ago, Shen Jie almost failed the written test. Afterward, he made up for his lack of knowledge in anthropology and psychology, believing that this time his performance would not be poor.
[It seems that the major infection hasn’t occurred in three years, indeed, it has changed a lot.] The system’s voice sounded somewhat nostalgic, paused for a moment, and continued, [Lin Ze was supposed to be a mist’s host.]
Shen Jie’s hand holding the pen paused slightly.
[In the laboratory, when the aliens escaped, they contaminated the city’s resources and defense systems, but there weren’t originally any high-level aliens inside—high-level, you should remember what I said, right? Some high-level aliens, awakened beings capable of carrying mist with them, are extremely dangerous. We call them “Mobile Catastrophe.”]
[The city didn’t disclose this information to the general public, after all, aliens being able to move with mist at any time, infecting everywhere they pass through, and being able to conceal themselves by retracting the mist, would be too frightening.]
[The initial city contamination was just the prelude. The reason why the major infection three years ago almost led to the city’s collapse was due to the chain corruption of internal personnel, resulting in many parts of the city being divided into “fallen areas.”]
[Lin Ze was one of them. He was an ordinary person chosen by the advanced mist, caught off guard by the process of corruption. And the former director of the City Defense Bureau, Gu Nian’an, was also one of them. But he was a Rank Three ability user, and after corruption, he would inevitably attract advanced mist. The only unexpected thing was that when Gu Nian’an’s infection value was too high, no one noticed his abnormality, and he didn’t voluntarily enter the nitrogen chamber.]
[The research institute has never understood the mechanism by which ordinary people attract the mist. Whether Lin Ze’s corruption was due to the chaos in the city or simply because he happened to be chosen remains unclear. And now, he sits here safe and sound. Perhaps, it’s possible that he was just chosen by chance, or perhaps…]
As the system was speaking, he had already completed the test paper. He put down his pen, and Lin Ze nodded slightly, saying, “You’re done.”
“Mr. Shen, you’re still so quick at answering questions.”
Lin Ze smiled gently at him and reached out to take the test paper back.
As they exchanged the pen, their fingertips touched inadvertently.
The system’s incessant chatter suddenly came to a halt.
[Warning! Warning! Infection value exceeds the limit of one hundred…?]
Suddenly, a loud alarm sounded.
[No, Host, Lin Ze has now become an alien!]
The system widened its eyes and urgently exclaimed.
[He is one of the “Mobile Catastrophe” hidden in the city!]
Thank you for the chapters! ❤
Ooooo is he gonna fail the mc?
oh boy
Nooooo… I was enjoying the fluffy husbands… now we have a fruity doctor
This is hilarious 😭😆
This is some Typhoid Mary sht 😭
oooh glad to see that the system has some use after all. this novel is so interesting i binged it today. thanks for the translations
Can’t they have a break!!😭
That’s so sudden
😮 so the plot line is still there… poor them, even if all the plotlines are meant to be created now does it really have to come all together and rush like this? Our poor Xiao Shen only had 1 night spend still a whole @ss holiday, probably gonna be used dealing with these guys… 😑
Thank you for the update ❤️💯
Oh, so he is, and how are they gonna deal with him? Zong Lin and Shen Jie teaming up to deal with mist? Or… Shen Jie can do something?
Thank you for the chapter!
man let them take a break😞
Waah what what what?!!!! Hidden?! Then is our Shen one as well?
Aiyo !!!
It seems Shen Jie inherited the “Conan physique” when he took over the role as protagonist 😅