“Captain?”
Yan Hua, who was busy strengthening the space around the bunker, looked up in surprise as the captain swooped in with his outstretched wings.
“Help me open the door to the Cleaning Center. Quickly,” Zong Lin said.
After breaking through most of the mist hosts in the vicinity, the onslaught of the aliens had slowed down but not completely subsided. According to the captain’s usual style, it wouldn’t be time to leave just yet.
Yan Hua was somewhat puzzled.
But she saw her captain’s face turn solemn, his pupils contracted, and his aura terrifying.
Like an enraged dragon guarding a treasure.
In an instant, she understood what was happening. “Is there trouble at the Cleaning Center?”
As she spoke, she swiftly activated her abilities, her fingers tracing complex patterns in the air—
In this city, spatial traversal was not a simple matter.
To prevent the invasion of “Space” aliens, the entire city was covered by large-scale spatial protective shields. It was like putting a firewall on a computer system. To initiate ‘Space’ abilities and traverse through the protective shield, one must know the location of the reserved backdoor and the opening key.
Some special buildings would have secondary reinforced spatial protective shields to prevent alien attacks and infections within the city. Like the Cleaning Center. And like the current bunker.
As a core member of the “Dawn,” Yan Hua had control over the gates and keys to enter and exit the city and the Cleaning Center.
In the entire city, there were fewer than a handful of “Space” ability users with the same freedom to enter and exit as her.
The spatial gate opened, and Zong Lin swiftly entered with the pale spear in hand, without even retracting his bone wings.
Seventh floor.
Dawn Rest Area.
The empty hall was devoid of the presence of the person who had been sitting on the sofa just now.
Only a humanoid sculpture, covered in sticky glue, stood still in place.
Zong Lin came through the spatial gate and saw this scene.
He pursed his lips, his gaze swiftly scanning the room, while simultaneously activating soul tracking—
Nothing. Nothing.
Within a radius of ten miles around the Cleaning Center, there was no trace of Shen Jie’s presence.
His beloved, missing right before his eyes.
The ‘Soul’ ability, suddenly out of control, rippled out, shattering the glass window sill.
Then, he felt the soul fluctuations within the glue sculpture. The person sent by the institute to protect Shen Jie had not died—
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.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to destroy, and walked up to Qi Chu.
Kgjcrqjgfca, ralmxs wjafglji jxlc ab uief mbnfgfv Hl Jte. Ktf fzqgfrrlbc bc atf gfrfjgmtfg’r ojmf ogbhf lc j rmfcf bo vlryfilfo jcv ofjg.
Ktlr reyrajcmf kjr atf rbilvlolfv obgw bo atf “Vbei” rfdefcmf jylilas lcoerfv lcab kjafg.
Pa ybgf j gfrfwyijcmf ab tlr jylilas, “Vbei Obmx.”
Ibcu Olc jiwbra lcrajcais mbcmievfv atja jc jilfc klat atf “Vbei” jylilas tjv yffc tfgf.
Perhaps it was the alien they had been searching for all along, the one that had been using flyers to manipulate and incite the city’s populace.
Instead of attacking the bunker where the savior was located as they had expected, it came here and abducted Shen Jie.
Why?
Zong Lin reached out his hand, a white aura of his ability enveloping Qi Chu. The sticky glue covering him slowly dissolved and melted away. The statue regained mobility.
“Tell me everything that happened here, in detail,” Zong Lin said in a deep voice.
Qi Chu’s gaze appeared vacant, a sign of soul damage.
He raised his hand to his forehead, groaning in pain, “Feng Qing…”
Zong Lin furrowed his brows, “Feng Qing?”
Nine years ago, during the battle of the Nest Egg, Yan Feng Qing perished along with the “Nest Egg”, exiled into the void.
However, two years later, a strange figure engulfed in flames suddenly appeared on Plain No. 9.
Rolling and howling in the flames, the figure was rescued by a passing wilderness cleanup team. They were astonished to find that this person had the exact same appearance as Yan Feng Qing, who had sacrificed himself two years earlier.
The flames on the figure’s body could not be extinguished, so the cleanup team had no choice but to bring him back to the city’s Research Institute for treatment.
Shi Chen had once tasked him with confirming the identity of the individual’s soul. He carefully confirmed for a long time. Indeed, the person was Yan Feng Qing, but the aura and structure of the soul were different from before. The institute speculated that the individual had undergone unknown changes while trapped in the void.
Yan Feng Qing was an ability user of the “Space” category. In order to trigger the “Eternal Exile” across levels, the ability core had already shattered and ceased to exist at that time.
However, when he was rescued, he inexplicably gained half of the “Nature” Rank Two ability, the “Everlasting Flame.”
Perhaps due to the unique characteristics of the “Everlasting Flame,” which continuously enveloped his body, Yan Feng Qing managed to survive in the chaotic void. Coincidentally, seven years ago, a fissure appeared in the void for unknown reasons, connecting to the mortal world, allowing Yan Feng Qing to return.
Yan Feng Qing’s ability core had changed, and all his previous memories were forgotten, with his personality drastically different from before.
He feared light and sound, needing to be completely wrapped in bandages, or else he would writhe in pain on the ground from being burned.
Even if the soul fluctuations matched, it was difficult to recognize him as the person he once was. It was even more impossible for him to roam outside with his previous identity.
Therefore, the Research Institute gave him a new name, calling him “Xiao Qing.”
Xiao Qing had lost most of his independent living abilities. The research institute had been supporting Xiao Qing in his living conditions.
Zong Lin didn’t know the specifics of the rehabilitation process, but he knew that Xiao Qing’s current recovery owed much to Qi Chu.
Perhaps because Qi Chu had been a coordinator for Yan Feng Qing for many years, the only person he didn’t resist hearing was Qi Chu.
And now, Qi Chu covered his eyes, his voice trembling as he said, “Feng Qing… Feng Qing, I don’t know when he degenerated and betrayed us. Shen Jie was taken away by him and Qi Xiu Yun.”
The more Zong Lin listened, the tighter his brow became. “Are you sure it’s Qi Xiu Yun?”
“I don’t know if an alien has taken over Qi Xiu Yun’s body, or if Qi Xiu Yun was originally an alien hidden within your team,” Qi Chu said. “It appeared completely human, its true nature masked with perfect deception. From the very start, their only target was Shen Jie, your partner.”
After being sealed in the adhesive, he lost all five senses, unaware of what conversation had taken place between Qi Xiu Yun and Shen Jie later, or how they were taken away.
But he recalled Qi Xiu Yun’s attitude towards Shen Jie before, which was very strange.
It didn’t seem like how a high-level alien would treat an ordinary person; instead, it seemed somewhat ingratiating. If Qi Xiu Yun had a tail behind him at that moment, it would probably be wagging.
After questioning Qi Chu, Zong Lin found charred remnants of a cellphone, some flesh and blood fragments, and scattered bandages in the elevator.
Following this burnt scent forward, he saw many adhesive statues resembling Qi Chu just now, and people in the lobby of the Cleaning Center were frantically calling the medical center.
Zong Lin reached out to help unseal the statues.
The burnt smell disappeared completely at the exit of the Cleaning Center, just like his lover who had disappeared without a trace.
He required the assistance of a user with the ‘Fate’ ability.
A sense of unease lingered in his mind.
Rubbing his throbbing temple, Zong Lin spread his bone wings and flew urgently towards the Observation Center Tower.
—-
In the Dark Domain, within the temple,
The Repairer looked at the human sitting in the wheelchair with a cold expression, pushed up his mosquito-repellent shaped glasses, feeling somewhat suspicious.
Tong Tong had already flown over joyfully, flapping his wings, and called out in his crisp childish voice, “Your Highness!”
Qi Xiu Yun, with his face blackened by soot, took a step forward, wiped his face, and said, “Do not be disrespectful.”
He was an alien of the “Soul” Rank Two, having lurked in the city for many years. However, unlike Zong Lin, who was more of an offensive type, he excelled more in splitting and infecting. His original form was that of a soft eyeball, capable of transferring between different hosts.
The phone thrown by Shen Jie exploded, causing it some damage.
In the past, he would have retaliated furiously, extending his mental tentacles to tear apart the human’s soul.
But now, he couldn’t.
The other party was the chosen one.
Seven years ago, the aura of the King emanated from the void. All the aliens bowed in the same direction. It was hard to describe the strength and horror of that aura, as if the source of all destruction and chaos, the mist-shrouded creatures were naturally drawn to it, as if they were children connected by blood, the fear and subservience to the King had long been ingrained in their bones.
As a knight, of course, he had to put on a good face in front of the future boss now and leave a good impression.
Tong Tong was stopped by Qi Xiu Yun, pouting, still wanting to pull Shen Jie’s trousers.
The Repairer stepped forward to pick Tong Tong up, “Your Highness… I apologize for the rudeness”. It lowered its head, extending its two long tentacles to apologize.
“I thought you should know that forcibly bringing someone here is the most impolite thing to do,” Shen Jie finally spoke.
He rested his chin on his right hand, while his left hand held a Samoyed doll, squeezing it gently.
His movements seemed tense, but his face showed no sign of tension or fear. It was full of disinterested. Indifference. The usual gentle facade had completely disappeared from him, and the Repairer even wondered if this human was not the same person as in the photo information provided by Lin Ze.
“Yes, yes,” the Repairer said carefully, “but everything we do is to welcome your return. You naturally belong here, not in the human city.”
It turned around and extended its hand, “Look, this is the palace we’ve built for you—how magnificent and splendid it is. This structure exists only for you, and this city will serve you as its master. One day, this world will also be yours alone.”
But he doesn’t need this world to be his alone.
Shen Jie thought faintly.
A world for one person was too desolate. Having tasted the warmth, it was hard to tolerate such desolation.
Until now, he only wanted to belong to one person.
Just…
Qi Xiu Yun said, “Alright, the two of us will step aside first. After traveling for half a day, let’s first show His Highness around the temple, and then go for a bath.”
The Repairer pushed the wheelchair, and introduced the architecture of the temple.
This palace was indeed huge and magnificent, surpassing the limits of current human architectural technology.
Along the way, they encountered many temple guards, all aliens wearing uniform armor, bowing and saluting to them.
Ordinary people would probably scream at the sight, causing their infection values to soar.
Shen Jie looked on indifferently, tapping lightly on the armrest of his wheelchair, lost in thought.
They arrived at a giant double door.
The doors opened, revealing a pool of blood-red water, steaming hot.
He was pushed inside.
The Repairer saw a familiar figure in black robes inside and greeted lazily, “Sir.”
The figure in black robes was pouring some crystalline powder-like substance into the pool of blood. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, he turned around, revealing a silver mask, its face as smooth as an egg.
“You have arrived, Your Highness.”
Shen Jie faced the black-robed figure with the silver mask, squinting slightly.
Found him.
The culprit who had disturbed his sleep multiple times.
Thank you for the chapter! ❤
Thank you for the chapter!!
Yes good stuff
The black-robed figure is leaving his last hours or even minutes… 😈
+1
Oh damn!
Thank you!
Thank you for the chapters 😍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
Thank you for the chapter!🫶
Ooh, ty for the chapter!!! <3
Thanks for the updates 🤣❤️