EDEH Chapter 43

Sang Jue and Huo Yanji took the last elevator. They’d reach the top floor in another half minute.

 

Huo Yanji said: “You haven’t seen the sun for eight days.”

 

Sang Jue turned his head: “Mm, what about it?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “Too long without light, sudden direct viewing can easily injure your eyes. In severe cases, you could go blind.”

 

Sang Jue asked: “Should I close my eyes?”

 

“Mm.”

 

Before the number changed to “1,” Sang Jue quickly closed his eyes and grabbed Huo Yanji’s clothes.

 

Huo Yanji glanced at him, walked out of the elevator, and Sang Jue followed closely behind: “When can I open them?”

 

Huo Yanji said flatly: “Usually takes about a minute to adapt.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Sang Jue obediently closed his eyes, frowning unconsciously from the effort. But… why didn’t he feel the sun’s warmth?

 

Usually when closing your eyes in sunlight, you don’t see complete darkness but some blurry halos. Trusting Huo Yanji, he continued following: “Are we in a forest?”

 

There were few sounds from contamination creatures around.

 

“No.”

 

“Then where are we?”

 

Hearing no answer, Sang Jue carefully opened a crack—darkness stretched before them. They were walking in a curved stone cave, artificially carved with a wide, flat path.

 

There was no sun, only the flashlight beam from soldiers ahead.

 

“…Liar.”

 

Huo Yanji said calmly: “I never said the elevator’s top floor was ground level.”

 

Sang Jue wanted to kick Huo Yanji, but the doctor said you shouldn’t kick people randomly.

 

He could only endure it, making dissatisfied gurgling sounds in his throat.

 

Huo Yanji’s eyes flickered: “Have you seen cats?”

 

Sang Jue huffed: “I won’t tell you.”

 

His answer revealed everything. Cats were now extinct creatures. If he hadn’t seen them, he would instinctively ask “What’s a cat?” rather than say “I won’t tell you.”

 

After walking a while, Sang Jue was lifted to the front by Huo Yanji, his eyes covered by a broad hand. The cool leather rubbed against his eyelashes, making them itch.

 

Huo Yanji had put gloves on again.

 

Sang Jue preferred contact when Huo Yanji wasn’t wearing gloves.

 

“We’re really at ground level now.”

 

Sunlight filtered through the tree shade into this inconspicuous cave entrance. Huo Yanji looked down at Sang Jue’s hair whorl, the light casting a warm hue over his black gloves. Sang Jue’s skin was so pale it was almost translucent with a hint of red.

 

“You can open your eyes now.”

 

When Sang Jue opened his eyes, Huo Yanji had already moved his hand away and walked forward, his back as upright and tall as always, unbending in the wind.

 

After a while, hearing no movement behind him, Huo Yanji turned back with a questioning look.

 

Sang Jue suddenly answered the previous question: “I’ve seen cats.”

 

Huo Yanji’s eyes flickered slightly: “It seems the previous rumor that ‘cats haven’t completely gone extinct, they just returned to wild life’ has some truth to it.”

 

Sang Jue blinked. So cats on this planet were also near extinction?

 

He had seen cats in the laboratory on his home planet—a pair of mates, a male cat named Adam and a female cat named Eve. The doctor told him that cats on the home planet were almost extinct, so they kept two for genetic research.

 

Cats were very proud and sensitive creatures. They were afraid of him and had a natural hostility toward him. Whenever he approached, their fur would stand on end.

 

But Sang Jue really wanted to pet them. Their fluffy fur would definitely feel comfortable to touch, unlike him with only cold scales.

 

Unfortunately, until he left his home planet, he never got to touch Adam and Eve.

 

Sang Jue quickly caught up and asked: “Where are we going back to?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “The main city.”

 

Sang Jue was stunned: “Not going to District 7 anymore?”

 

Huo Yanji hummed: “The matters in District 7 are mostly handled. The main city needs me more now.”

 

Sang Jue asked: “You go wherever you’re needed?”

 

Huo Yanji hummed in agreement.

 

Sang Jue kicked at stones, casually saying: “I need you too.”

 

“…Mm.”

 

Ah Qin and other community residents would also travel with them, changing routes halfway to go to District 7, while others would return directly to the main city.

 

The personnel configuration in the vehicle this time was very similar to when they previously supported District 7: Colin, Wei Lan, and several officers whose names Sang Jue couldn’t remember.

 

Only Wei Heng had lost an arm and was still receiving treatment in District 7, Saiya had disappeared with the hostage convoy, and Shui Ming…

 

Shui Ming was forever left in the rift two thousand meters underground.

 

Wei Lan handed Huo Yanji a document: “This is from District 7 Administrator Norman for you to pass along. He said it’s what you requested—the list of residents transferred from the main city to District 7 over the years.”

 

After the District 7 meeting ended last time, Huo Yanji had indeed asked Norman for a list.

 

He flipped through it, his brows gradually furrowing.

 

Wei Lan asked: “Is there some problem?”

 

Huo Yanji didn’t answer directly. He leaned against the vehicle compartment, his eyes cold: “Recent troubles are very concentrated…”

 

Everyone remained silent, only Sang Jue’s little brain didn’t understand: “What?”

 

Colin actually figured it out: “First, someone artificially extracted the original green fungus from ‘Waste Water’ and released it into District 7; then there’s the list of over three thousand people, which has been verified to confirm they’re all people who failed genetic testing and can’t become deviants; then the two hundred people we rescued were hijacked, but that’s not the most troublesome part. You have to know that the main city alone has more than three thousand people who failed genetic testing. There’s definitely more than one such list, and other districts are likely experiencing the same thing. The Court people suddenly came to snatch that alien spacecraft, although—”

 

“They took away WHAT!?”

 

Hearing the last sentence, Sang Jue nearly jumped up in shock, but was restrained by his seatbelt.

 

“Uh, the spacecraft.” Colin thought he was surprised because he didn’t understand, so he explained: “A very high-tech space aircraft.”

 

“…” You’re the aircraft, your whole family are aircraft.

 

“They didn’t take it away.” Wei Lan paused. “But it’s strange—they didn’t seem worried at all about the spacecraft containing large destructive weapons, or unknown alien life forms, or contaminated radiation.”

 

Sang Jue blinked.

 

There really were no large destructive weapons in the spacecraft, nor any contaminated radiation. As for unknown life forms, they were no longer in the spacecraft—

 

They’re right here in your vehicle! Hmph.

 

Wei Lan thought more comprehensively: “The trouble isn’t these events, but the people controlling these events behind the scenes, and their true purposes.”

 

For example, who was the person who released the deviant multi-headed velvet bubble green fungus into District 7? Was it just to destroy District 7? Or was District 7 just an appetizer?

 

And that list of over three thousand people—if their speculation was correct that people who ‘failed genetic testing’ were actually more easily fused with wild contamination genes, then this was a big problem.

 

This meant the mastermind behind the list incident was very likely one of the safe zones itself.

 

Rebels shouldn’t have this capability—on one hand, they couldn’t afford to support so many people, and on the other hand, they lacked experimental ability.

 

And there was Huo Jiangmin… everything about him seemed strange.

 

His sudden stationing at Rift No. 2—what kind of secret military order had he received?

 

Huo Yanji said: “When we return, first contact the major safe zones and have them confirm the missing resident lists in their areas.”

 

Everyone said in unison: “Yes.”

 

One crisp voice was particularly noticeable.

 

Huo Yanji glanced at Sang Jue beside him: “What are you agreeing to?”

 

“Conditioned reflex.” Sang Jue said obediently, “Can I help you?”

 

As an evil dragon who wanted to save the world, he had to help the prince solve problems.

 

Huo Yanji said: “The biggest help you can give is to find a job and study hard.”

 

Sang Jue’s face fell: “Why do I need to find a job?”

 

Huo Yanji said flatly: “You’re not allowed to take missions outside the city until you finish reading your books, so you need to find a job to support yourself.”

 

Sang Jue snorted quietly to himself.

 

Human males really were creatures who didn’t keep their word and easily went back on their promises—just a few days ago in the rift, he had said he could still afford to support him.

 

After just a few days, had he gone bankrupt?

 

The evil dragon also had to be self-reliant.

 

He could go steal all those golden medals hanging on the lighthouse, then forge a golden nest, roll around in it every day, and when hungry, break off a piece to eat.

 

The vehicle stopped.

 

Sang Jue also woke up from his dream.

 

His head was lifted by a hand, and Huo Yanji’s cold tone sounded in his ear: “Sit tight, I need to get out for a moment.”

 

“Mm… where are you going?”

 

“To see the place where Colonel Saiya and the hostages were taken.”

 

Sang Jue became alert, unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out of the car with Huo Yanji.

 

The sun was at its zenith now. A row of black armored vehicles was parked on the road, their hoods covered with fallen leaves and dust. Vines emerging from the soil had already begun to climb up the heavy tires.

 

Sunlight and green intertwined together, like a paradise on earth.

 

Huo Yanji walked to the roadside, ground the moss under his feet, and frowned slightly.

 

A deputy officer whom Sang Jue had never seen was reporting the results of the past few days’ investigation: “It was raining the day of the incident. The deviant plants grew too fast once nourished. Although we found they went northwest, we lost their trail after about a kilometer.”

 

Huo Yanji took the map, where the last tracked location was marked with a red circle.

 

“Check the waterways.”

 

The deputy officer was stunned: “Waterways? You mean boats?”

 

There was indeed a turbulent and wide river nearby, with connections in all directions. But water leaves no trace—how could they check the direction?

 

Huo Yanji threw the map back into his hands, saying coldly: “Check all outposts and shelters that the waterways can reach, and examine boat traffic records.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Sang Jue asked quietly: “Whose deputy is this?”

 

Colin said: “The general’s. His surname is Song, full name Song Li.”

 

Sang Jue: “What about Adjutant Zhang Min?”

 

Colin chuckled: “Do you know that even I have two deputies? How could the general have just one?”

 

Deputy Song continued: “The spores around the wilderness aid station have been completely cleared, and construction is proceeding according to your blueprints. It’s expected to be completed within a month. There are quite a few century-old weapon reserves in the base under Rift No. 2. I’m negotiating with General Huo’s deputy to appropriate a batch for the wilderness aid station.”

 

“Good.” Huo Yanji turned around. “All weapons must be tested before appropriation. According to first-class standards, the outer wall quality of the wilderness aid station must also meet safe zone outer wall standards.”

 

“Won’t the cost be a bit…”

 

“If you’re going to build it, do it to the highest standards, or don’t take on this task at all.” Huo Yanji said coldly, “Unless you want to bear responsibility when something goes wrong and have others clean up your mess.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Sang Jue, waiting by the car, said quietly: “Ji Ji’s subordinates are all as serious as icebergs.”

 

Colin said: “That’s true…”

 

Sang Jue added: “Except for you.”

 

Colin’s remaining words got stuck in his throat. After a long while, he swallowed them back and asked: “Then what am I like?”

 

Sang Jue thought for a moment: “A dog.”

 

Colin: “??”

 

Although dogs were extinct creatures, even if you hadn’t seen the real thing, hadn’t you seen them on television?

 

Was this how you insulted people?

 

Sang Jue gave a detailed description: “The kind of medium to large dog with beautiful fur, a big mouth, round eyes because it likes to smile. When it sees its master or a female it likes, its eyes light up and it wags its fluffy big tail. It sits when told to sit, stands when told to stand, very easy to bully—”

 

“Stop, stop!” Colin’s mouth twitched. “Are you praising me or insulting me?”

 

“Praising you.” Sang Jue said, “Fluffy creatures are the cutest, and very loyal… though not very loyal to their mates.”

 

Wei Lan passing by: “…”

 

Colin explained in a flustered, incoherent manner: “He’s talking about me being like a dog, not me… no no, a dog being like me, that’s not right either, what the hell…”

 

Wei Lan said flatly: “Your bandage is loose.”

 

“…” Colin immediately covered his right face. “I’m very loyal to my mate. It’s dogs that aren’t loyal.”

 

Wei Lan hummed and bent down to get in the car.

 

Sang Jue suddenly understood: “So you still haven’t caught your female?”

 

“…” Colin sighed. “After I became a deviant, we haven’t had an honest conversation about our relationship.”

 

“Is it because your nest isn’t good-looking enough, or because you’re not as strong as other males?”

 

Facing the serious-faced Sang Jue, Colin felt two arrows pierce his heart.

 

“Since your face isn’t as good-looking as before, you need to work hard to improve your competitiveness in other areas, like a fit body and a good-looking nest.”

 

Colin recalled his small two-bedroom, one-living-room house, which could be described as having bare walls with nothing. His only decent feature—his face—was ruined. As for strength… he’d need to thoroughly test his genetic stability when he returned, then start training.

 

He was probably the first deviant to fuse with green fungus genes. With no precedent and no reference, he didn’t know how to train himself.

 

“How should I decorate the house to look good…” Colin had a headache. “Have you been to the general’s house?”

 

Sang Jue shook his head.

 

Colin thought for a moment: “When you go, could you describe it to me as a reference?”

 

Sang Jue was puzzled: “Why reference Ji Ji’s house? He doesn’t have a female.”

 

Colin had been completely led astray by Sang Jue’s terminology: “But the general has a male.”

 

Sang Jue’s alarm bells went off. What male? Where did the male come from?

 

Colin said: “What kind of house do you like?”

 

Sang Jue stared at Huo Yanji in the distance, answering absentmindedly: “Made of gemstones or gold.”

 

“…Isn’t that a bit vulgar?” Colin said tactfully.

 

“How is it vulgar? If I had a female, I’d definitely build them a golden house.” Sang Jue thought for a moment. “Gold is too flashy and can hurt the eyes. Crystal or gemstones are also very beautiful.”

 

Colin: “…???”

 

Wait a minute! Isn’t this information overload!?

 

Sang Jue frowned with dissatisfaction and pressed: “Who is Ji Ji’s male?”

 

**

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