Chapter 71: New Members and Unveiled Feelings

Jiang Li ignored him, as if he didn’t even see him.

It was Xing Si who put down his cup, stood up, walked over, and slapped Yang Song. Even while making such a move, he still looked refined, and his voice was clear:

“From today on, we are no longer friends. Please leave my home.”

A flash of pain and resentment flickered in Yang Song’s eyes. He turned and left.

Xing Si returned to sit beside Jiang Li. Although Ji Xiao had just choked him and pinned him against the wall, he felt no resentment. He looked seriously at Ji Xiao.

“Do you know about Jiang Li’s condition? He… it wasn’t awakening an ability, was it?”

Liang Qiujian’s eyes had already returned to normal. He also looked down at Ji Xiao.

Ji Xiao stubbed out his cigarette. He looked at Jiang Li with a smirk. “Don’t you know yourself?”

Jiang Li’s eyes were icy as he swept them over the two, but softened slightly when he saw Xing Si. He said lightly:

“When Xing Si brought me back, I was scratched by a zombie. I didn’t want to die, but I didn’t want to turn into a zombie either, so I had him tie me up. If I couldn’t hold on, he was to kill me.”

Xing Si lowered his head and whispered, “I couldn’t do it.”

“When I was dying, I seemed to see some memories. It was like a dream, but I felt it was a past life. I sensed something awakening inside me, but I couldn’t control it. I kept struggling… until I heard Xing Si’s cry of pain and saw him about to be killed by you. That’s when I snapped out of it.”

Jiang Li said flatly,

“That’s all.”

Ji Xiao leaned back into Liang Qiujian’s arms, lightly holding his hand, his eyes flickering.

Not using drugs himself?

Then, was it like the Black Cat said? Was there a tasker who exchanged for demonic arts for him? Or was it really that mysterious—that on the verge of death, Jiang Li recalled memories of a past life and awakened his former life’s abilities?

If there was a tasker…

Ji Xiao looked at Xing Si.

Doesn’t seem like it.

“Have you been with Xing Si these past few days?”

“Mm. After I mutated, I came to him immediately, but unfortunately, I got scratched by a zombie on the way,” Jiang Li’s voice turned a few degrees colder. “Are you done asking? If so, can the two of you leave?”

Xing Si lightly touched his foot.

Jiang Li: “…”

He changed his wording: “Do you two have any more questions?”

Ji Xiao shook his head, took Liang Qiujian’s hand, and stood up. When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back. “Oh, I have a small team. Do you want to join?”

Jiang Li: “No…”

Xing Si: “Can we?”

Jiang Li: “…”

Xing Si touched his foot again.

Jiang Li had been unconscious these past days and had no idea that there was hardly any food left at home.

He didn’t have the habit of stockpiling food at home, so there wasn’t much left.

He had also quietly gone out to check.

The zombies in City B had been swiftly dealt with, but there was no power or internet, and most of the shops outside were closed. It was quite hard to find food out there right now.

But joining a team and working for the country would be different.

Then there would definitely be food.

Ji Xiao: “Sure.”

Xing Si gave a faint smile. “Then we’ll join. Sorry for the trouble.”

These two didn’t seem like bad people.

At least they helped him restore Jiang Li’s consciousness, even if the methods were a bit harsh. They also helped them keep it from the other patrol members, not exposing Jiang Li’s abnormality.

“We’ll come find you after our shift ends.”

Ji Xiao finished speaking and left with Liang Qiujian.

Nothing else happened.

As the sun set, Ji Xiao and Liang Qiujian brought Xing Si and Jiang Li home.

Sun Zhou and the others had also returned from patrol and were sitting in the living room playing Landlord with cards.

“Brother Zhang, you’re back! And these two are?”

Ji Xiao: “New additions to our team. Get to know each other. The captain and I are going to take a shower.”

Liang Qiujian: “…” Not really wanting to shower.

Ji Xiao pulled the reluctant Liang Qiujian into the room, amused. “What’s up? After patrolling the streets all day, you don’t want to wash up first?”

Liang Qiujian hesitated. “How about you go first? I’ll…”

Ji Xiao said helplessly, “This time, it’s really just a shower.”

Liang Qiujian: “…” Fine. He was indeed worried it might turn into something else.

He wondered if what the officials said back then was true.

That Zhang Xiao had never been in a relationship.

Really never?

He didn’t believe it.

His moves were too skilled, and his desires too heavy.

Ji Xiao let him go. “If you’re not comfortable, I’ll go first.”

Liang Qiujian could almost see the signs of anger and disappointment in his retreating back. He gritted his teeth and followed.

The result?

Liang Qiujian was pressed against the wall again. The arm supporting the wall bulged with muscles, and his voice was low and hoarse with suppressed anger: “I shouldn’t have trusted— Ah.”

Damn it! He’d been patrolling all day—how could he still have so much energy?

Wasn’t he tired?

Was he a dog?!

…

Zhong Tian and Qin Yue had gone to the Science and Technology Department in the afternoon and only came back after eating dinner. It was a bit late. By the time they got home, the sun had completely set, and the sky was getting dark.

Sun Zhou saw them and said happily, “Brother Yue, Brother Tian, we have two more people in the team!”

Qin Yue stepped forward and exchanged introductions with Xing Si and the others.

Sun Zhou suddenly asked, “Is the captain Captain Zhong, or Brother Liang? I always hear Brother Zhang calling Brother Liang ‘Captain.'”

“Of course it’s Zhong Tian,” Ji Xiao said, walking out with a cigarette in his mouth. He closed the master bedroom door behind him, his face still flushed from exertion. He sat down on the single sofa, not squeezing in with the others. “I can call him that, but you can’t. And Zhong Tian is the captain of our team.”

Sun Zhou asked naively, “Why is he only yours?”

Qin Yue found it hard to watch.

Ji Xiao chuckled softly. “Because before the apocalypse, he was my head bodyguard, and after the apocalypse, he’s still my captain.”

Sun Zhou said, “Oh. Why didn’t Brother Liang come out? We brought food from the patrol team and haven’t eaten yet. We were waiting for you all to eat together.”

“He’s tired and fell asleep. You all eat without us.”

As soon as Ji Xiao finished speaking, Qin Yue’s expression changed.

He said flatly, “You go eat in your rooms.”

Sun Zhou also felt it wasn’t good to eat in front of them. He called the two salted fish buddies to get their food from the kitchen and quickly went back to their room.

Zhong Tian tilted his head and looked at Jiang Li. “Are you wearing colored contacts?”

Jiang Li said calmly, “I awakened an ability but haven’t fully controlled it yet.”

Zhong Tian: “So abilities can change eye color…”

He turned to Qin Yue.

“Qin Yue, I want to see what color your eyes turn with your ability.”

Qin Yue: “I’ll show you later in the room.”

Zhong Tian stared at him eagerly.

Qin Yue: “…”

“Just show him,” Ji Xiao said, pulling out an ashtray from under the table and tapping it. “Use your ability to affect your eyes.”

Qin Yue tried. A fiery red tinged his eyes.

Zhong Tian exclaimed, “Wow, so cool!”

Jiang Li: “…” I’m red too—am I not cool?

Qin Yue withdrew the red from his eyes with a smile.

Zhong Tian tugged at his arm. “I want to see more, I want to see more~”

“Mm-hmm.”

Ji Xiao’s hand trembled as he resisted the urge to pull out another cigarette.

It’s just eyes changing color. What’s so interesting?

“Zhong Tian, tomorrow take Xing Si and the others to register with the team, and then ask Xiao Tian if there’s any way to get a villa.”

Zhong Tian: “A villa?”

Ji Xiao: “Yes. Your team will only get bigger.”

Zhong Tian nodded. “Okay.”

Ji Xiao turned his gaze to Xing Si. “Are you two staying here tonight or going back?”

Jiang Li: “Going back.”

Xing Si paused at his words. “Yeah, going back.”

“Alright,” Ji Xiao stood up. “Be careful on the way.”

…

Ji Xiao returned to the room.

“Host…”

He paused on his way to the bed, glanced at Liang Qiujian who was still sleeping, and walked over to the windowsill.

[How is it? Any stowaway taskers? Killed?]

The Black Cat said guiltily, “I was mistaken. It’s not a tasker.”

[Huh?]

“That Jiang Li—in his past life, he was a demon cultivator with a powerful soul. His current body is extremely suited for demon cultivation. The arrival of the apocalypse caused the originally peaceful energy system of this world to change…”

“When he was on the verge of death, his determination not to die and his obsession with someone caused him to fall into demonhood. Originally, he shouldn’t have been able to hold on, but the change in the energy system and external stimuli allowed him to endure and successfully become a demon.”

[I see.]

“Yes, Host. You’ve never been to a cultivation world, so you don’t know that demon cultivators are very stubborn and narrow-minded. In this world, your mission is to keep a low profile. It’s best not to get involved with him.”

[But I’ve already recruited him into the team.]

Black Cat: “…”

[But it’s okay. It’s Zhong Tian’s team anyway. I don’t manage it much.]

Black Cat: “Right, right. Anyway, Zhong Tian is already here and has joined the Science and Technology Department. How about you and the mission target take the RV and roam the world, enjoying the scenery?”

[Wait until the apocalypse is over. It’s a mess out there now. Where else is as comfortable as City B?]

Ji Xiao looked up at the dark sky outside. His eyes turned cold.

Yeah.

He had never been to a cultivation world. So when he saw Jiang Li, why did the word “demon” slip out? And those fragments of memory he couldn’t trace—what were they?

And why didn’t the system want him to get close to Jiang Li?

Was it afraid he would remember something?

[Cat.]

“Huh? I’m here, Host.”

[After I met you, was this really the first time I traveled between worlds to do a mission?]

Black Cat: “Of course. I mean, yes, it really is the first time! Really!”

Ji Xiao didn’t ask further.

“Bro?”

Ji Xiao returned to the bedside and sat down. “What’s wrong?”

Liang Qiujian took his hand. “It’s dark. Let’s sleep.”

Actually, that wasn’t it.

He had just woken up and, in the dim light, saw Ji Xiao standing by the window. The aura he gave off made him uneasy, so he instinctively called out to him.

“It’s still early. It’s probably only eight o’clock.”

“Then I’ll get up and keep you company?”

“No need,” Ji Xiao lay down beside him and said with a light laugh, “Not mad this time?”

Liang Qiujian reached out and pulled him into an embrace. “It’s fine. You promised I could be on top next time.”

“I did promise,” Ji Xiao’s voice became even more cheerful, “But the ‘next time’ from last time has already passed.”

Liang Qiujian: “?”

Ji Xiao: “Are you really that hung up on who’s on top? Didn’t big brother make you happy?”

“…”

Liang Qiujian tightened his arm around Ji Xiao’s waist and gritted his teeth. “Forget it.”

It’s fine being on the bottom.

He still had this person.

This person was in his arms.

Ji Xiao asked, “Hungry? We haven’t eaten dinner yet.”

“A little.”

“Then get up. Let me treat you to a feast.”

“Mm.”

Ji Xiao not only exchanged for a feast but also for a bright candlestick, which he lit and placed on the table.

Next door.

Zhong Tian pestered Qin Yue to show him his eyes.

Qin Yue helplessly obliged, revealing the red color.

Zhong Tian reached out and touched his eye corner. “Why does your eyeball change color, while Jiang Li’s entire eye turns red? Even his conjunctiva is red—it looks kind of scary. Not like yours. Yours is beautiful.”

Qin Yue lowered his eyes. “Different ability systems.”

Zhong Tian pried his eye open. “Open wider. I want to appreciate it properly.”

Qin Yue opened his eyes fully as requested, looking at him with all his emotions laid bare.

Suddenly, Zhong Tian felt a bit strange. He was the first to look away, changing the subject. “Hey, Qin Yue, don’t you think Brother Zhang and Brother Liang are a bit off?”

Qin Yue reached out and pulled him into his arms, saying softly, “They’re a couple.”

Whether it was at school before the apocalypse or traveling together after, they had hugged plenty of times, but this time felt especially different to Zhong Tian. The hand on his waist even felt a little off.

Was it because of that look they’d just exchanged?

He had seen that kind of look in Qin Yue’s eyes for the first time.

Zhong Tian gently pried at Qin Yue’s hand and whispered, “Qin Yue, I don’t want to see anymore. Let go. I need to…”

“Why don’t you want to see?” Qin Yue reached out and lifted his chin, close enough that their breaths mingled. “Don’t you like it?”

Zhong Tian: “Qin Yue…”

“Are you really just dense, or are you deliberately avoiding it?”

Qin Yue’s hand moved slightly, gently stroking his lips.

“Xiao Tian, have you really not sensed it? My feelings for you.”

Maybe it was because he was stimulated by Ji Xiao and Liang Qiujian, or by Xing Si and Jiang Li. Or maybe he just didn’t want to wait any longer.

Qin Yue’s red eyes no longer hid his emotions. His affection was laid bare. He lowered his head and kissed him.

If he waited for Zhong Tian to finally catch on, who knew how long that would take.

Anyway… he couldn’t escape.

So stop waiting.

Zhong Tian’s eyes widened. For a moment, he forgot to react.

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