Chapter 103

Chapter 103

For most members of the Special Operations Department, the prospect of taking Tang Xun'an on a mission would be a dream come true.

After all, having Tang Xun'an on your team could slash the mortality rate by at least thirty percent, provided the mission itself wasn't utterly insane.

The system offered a succinct summary of the situation: [An SSR card just delivered itself to your doorstep, free of charge.]

Lu Yan didn't play gacha games, but he had a vague idea of what an SSR card was.

His life had been pretty miserable from the get-go, especially before Lu Cheng was taken away.

But according to the law of the conservation of luck, Lu Yan found himself inexplicably fortunate in other areas.

Buy a lottery ticket? He'd always win a few hundred. Get caught in the rain? Someone would inevitably offer an umbrella. He'd even scored the "payment waived" prize on WeChat Pay multiple times.

Back in the day, colleagues would always ask him to do pulls for them during surgery breaks. Seven times out of ten, he'd snag an SSR, sending his otaku coworkers into ecstatic fits, gleefully shouting "Hubby Lu Yan!"

Now, the system was comparing Tang Xun'an to an SSR card. Evidently, Tang Xun'an was also a very good thing.

Lu Yan wasn't one for sweet talk. Thoughts filtered through his mind and emerged bluntly: "Alright. I'll consider it."

As long as their mission schedules didn't clash, bringing Tang Xun'an along wasn't out of the question.

He carried plenty of secrets, but Lu Yan felt he could try to learn to trust Tang Xun'an.

The tension that had coiled in Tang Xun'an for what felt like ages finally loosened at Lu Yan's words.

"Then get some proper rest."

He drew a deep breath, forcefully quashing the impulse to ruffle Lu Yan's damp hair. Taking a step back, he turned and strode away.

Lu Yan closed the door and lay down on the bed, sighing to the system. "That bath was a waste."

[…?]

He pondered for a moment. "Next time, should I get a bathrobe that opens down to the waistline?"

[…?!!]

The system let out a cold, mental snort. [Useless. Men start declining after twenty-five. Tang Xun'an is over a hundred.]

Lu Yan didn't think it was that bad. He was almost twenty-seven himself and didn't feel any decline.

Too awake to sleep, he pulled out his phone and scrolled through posts on the Apocalypse Forum.

The chit-chat section was boiling over with theories about the recent Blood Moon event.

[Shocking! Rumor has it the Blood Moon descended because an Evil God arrived!]

[The Blood Moon is just one type of meteorological anomaly. No need to overthink it.]

[Is it too late to go back to my hometown and start farming?]

……

……

"Did the red moon appear all over the world because of… little brother?" Lu Yan asked the system.

Even in his thoughts, his voice grew very, very soft when he said "little brother," as if afraid to disturb someone's eternal rest.

The system was silent for a moment. [Yes.]

"So he's that powerful."

[One day, you will be too.]

On the forum, Michael had sent several messages. He said he'd recovered and asked how Lu Yan and Yan Bei were doing.

Lu Yan replied: I'm fine. Will check on Yan Bei tomorrow.

He didn't have Yan Bei's contact info. He planned to ask his liaison officer tomorrow; it was too late to bother anyone tonight.

At four in the morning, a refresh finally brought up the official announcement regarding the Blood Moon event.

The official stance was that the "Blood Moon" was an extremely rare anomalous phenomenon following the global spread of the Pollution Disease. Pollution concentration levels would correspondingly decrease after the event, and there was no need for panic.

"The Apocalypse Forum has existed for 83 years now. From its beginnings as exclusive to Special Operations members, to opening for all Awakened. The forum's management and systems have undergone several changes."

"From the day the forum was established, there have been prophecies that humanity would be completely extinct within 100 years. But 80 years have passed, and we are still here. We still have hope. Our fellow humans can still live on the surface, bathing under the same sunlight as those pollutants we are utterly powerless against."

"None of this would be possible without your dedication."

"The day will come when humanity completely conquers the Pollution Disease. Just as we conquered the Black Death, smallpox, and malaria in the past."

The post was signed by the Pollution Disease Control Center Headquarters.

Lu Yan clicked on the account. Its previous post was an apology to all Awakened regarding the First Research Institute's regulation-violating experiments. That post was a hot topic, racking up over three thousand comments and, unsurprisingly, getting thoroughly roasted.

A wave of fatigue hit Lu Yan. He opened his palm. The four segments of finger bone made his hand slightly longer.

In a low-level aberration state, the final bone segment wasn't obvious. But in a high-level state, these hands could serve as weapons.

[Because of your hand, Tang Xun'an discovered some things,] the system said. [But he chose to conceal them from Headquarters.]

A slit opened across Lu Yan's palm under his will, revealing sharp teeth within. A golden cross was embedded in the tongue root of the King Fish.

In the past, even if he couldn't sense his "big son's" location, Lu Yan could faintly perceive its emotions.

Now, the big son had completely lost its consciousness, becoming nothing more than a convenient tool.

[Do not remove the cross. In another month, the King Fish's consciousness can be completely eradicated.]

[I hope you won't do something as idiotic as changing your mind midway.]

It was, after all, something that had fought alongside him through life and death. A trace of melancholy was inevitable.

But he wasn't a sentimental person by nature, and he quickly detached himself from that useless emotion.

"What happens after its consciousness disappears?" Lu Yan asked.

[It becomes a vegetable fish. You can freely use Talent 25 without worrying about the bad fish turning on you one day.]

*

4 AM.

Xiao Tian lay by Tang Xun'an's bedside, utterly perplexed, heaving his seventh sigh of the day. "In the middle of the night… how could you… how could you just come back?"

"Not that anything had to happen. But from the time you left to the time you returned… three minutes. Three minutes! What can you possibly accomplish in three minutes?"

"Tang Xun'an, are you… inadequate?"

Tang Xun'an, unable to sleep, was reviewing documents his liaison officer had sent. He felt it might be time to pick a date to get the dog neutered.

The files mainly contained information about Lu Yan's life from childhood onward. It wasn't classified, and Tang Xun'an hadn't asked for it. His liaison officer had sent it over anyway, citing "potential team member background."

It was unavoidable. When you stood high enough, even without expressing any preference, people would try to curry favor by guessing your interests.

Lu Yan's records made his heart ache.

Tang Xun'an even began to doubt whether the decisions he'd made in the past were the right ones.

But perhaps the slightest deviation would have meant he wouldn't be seeing the Lu Yan before him now.

Xiao Tian walked over and nudged his shoulder. "How about we plan a more romantic confession? I don't think Doctor Lu is completely indifferent to you."

Tang Xun'an looked at him. "But I don't have much time left."

It took Xiao Tian a moment to understand what he meant.

"Who curses themselves like that?" the dog said, baffled. "Awakened have long lifespans. I bet you can live another century or two, no problem…"

"It's different."

Xiao Tian snorted coldly. "Fine then. When you die, I'll make sure to burn a family portrait of Doctor Lu for you."

With that, he stormed off in a huff.

***

After getting up the next day, Lu Yan called his liaison officer.

Director Li informed him that Yan Bei was still at the A-City Pollution Disease Control Center Headquarters.

"Although Qiong Shu's mental state is relatively stable, Headquarters is concerned that Subjects 01 and 07 might infiltrate human society to abduct other experimental subjects." Director Li sighed. "Subject 01 recently established a base called the Hound Base. It was originally Gong Weibin's experimental facility… filled with pollutants injected with canine genes. They've all been released now."

"The Hound Base was designated a new S-Class pollution zone in the latest meeting. Both 01 and 07 are high-level pollutants. While they haven't shown aggression for now, they remain extremely dangerous. Furthermore, the whereabouts of the abducted Subjects 04 and 09 are still unknown."

"Headquarters suspects 01 intends to turn Subjects 04 and 09 into pollutants as well." Director Li's tone was heavy with worry. "If successful, it would be very troublesome. Subject 01 remains quite hostile toward human society."

Not every Awakened who broke through 100% corruption could become a Perfect Evolved.

Even among Perfect Evolved, retaining rationality wasn't guaranteed. Just like the Dragon Maiden from Long Nü Lake back then.

If they became ordinary pollutants, even with extremely high pollution values, it was little different from death.

Lu Yan took a taxi to the Control Center, grabbing breakfast on the way.

The Center had 140 permanent staff, and Awakened occasionally dropped by for meals. The food was excellent, and it was free.

When he arrived, Yan Bei was painting. Years without holding a brush made his movements hesitant.

Yan Bei was painting a scene from Croyman Manor. Beautified by his hand, the picture wasn't sinister at all. Especially where Lu Yan stood—the original black forest and bramble patches now bloomed with roses. An unknowing observer might think they were on a spring outing.

[He really does like you. Because you are pure, standard beauty.]

Yan Bei was completely absorbed in his painting.

The staff member assigned to care for him said softly, "Qiong Shu doesn't have many friends. He paints almost all his free time. Mr. Dì Tīng, if you're not too busy, please visit him more often. He enjoys going out with you."

Every staff member here hoped the Awakened under their care would be alright.

Just as Tang Xian'an's liaison officer desperately hoped Diting and the Tyrant would fall in love.

Lu Yan considered it for a moment. "If it's just as a friend, that's fine. Anything more... I can't give."

The attendant understood his meaning, her smile turning strained. "Alright. Would you like me to call him for you?"

"No need. I just came to check on him. As long as he's okay." Lu Yan shook his head. "I need to go file my mission report."

The Croyman Manor mission was complete, but he hadn't submitted the final paperwork yet. The 70,000 contribution points were still pending.

Besides visiting Yan Bei, that was the other reason he'd come to the Center today.

And to see if there were any new assignments worth taking.

The Godhead's brain was about thirty percent cooked. According to the system, it was still severely wounded.

It had even fallen from its pedestal as an S-Class pollutant, though news hadn't spread yet due to the isolation of the Divine Kingdom. Regardless, now was the perfect time to finish it off.

Almost the moment Lu Yan left the room, Yan Bei set down his brush.

He bit his lip, silent tears tracing paths down his cheeks as he stared at the unfinished canvas before him.

The attendant fluttered her hands, unsure. "But... your new exhibition is coming up. The painting isn't finished. Don't think about other things..."

Her voice was soft, gentle. She looked a little like Yan Bei's long-deceased mother. She knew he had heard. He had understood Lu Yan's meaning perfectly.

That's why it hurt so much.

Yan Bei wept quietly over the painting, his expression caught between numb acceptance and profound sorrow. "I know. It's alright. Just... just give me a moment. I'll be fine in a moment."