TIC Chapter 36

 Chapter 36

He finally broke free from the seductive pull of Jan Wallis.

It wasn't until Jan had departed that Casey, still gripping Xiao Yan's fingers, squeezed so hard that the joints cracked audibly; Xiao Yan had no doubt that if this went on any longer, he would end up with a broken hand.

"Whatever you do, don't let yourself be tempted—and don't let yourself get addicted," Casey said, his voice heavy with gravity.

"I know."

"Jan Wallis... is a hedonist. I don't want you to become merely a tool used to fill the void in his fleeting existence."

"I know."

"Any researcher who sleeps with Jan Wallis will no longer have a place in my laboratory."

For personal feelings toward Jan Wallis would inevitably compromise a researcher's objectivity.

"I know..." Xiao Yan frowned, finally losing his patience. "Can you let go of me now? My wrist feels like it's about to snap!"

Only then did Casey release him.

Xiao Yan knew that Casey’s words were absolutely in earnest.

Upon leaving the research institute that day, Xiao Yan headed straight for the *Blue Tulip*. Although Casey was a genius, he was naive regarding the ways of the world; he simply didn't understand men like Jan Wallis—though, of course, neither did Xiao Yan. Yet, Xiao Yan could sense that he had already become a plaything—a "prey," of sorts—for Lieutenant Colonel Wallis to amuse himself with during his idle moments. If he wished to remain in Casey's laboratory, he would have to resolve this entire situation outside its walls.

A man like Jan Wallis—endowed with an innate, aristocratic pride—would never resort to coercing anyone. All Xiao Yan needed to do was make his decision and his stance unequivocally clear. Xiao Yan surmised that by using the X-virus as bait to lure a reluctant researcher, Jan Wallis derived a certain sense of gratification—a twisted sense of accomplishment.

The *Blue Tulip* was the most extravagant bar in Char. To step through its doors was to accept the inevitability of spending a fortune. Casey was right: Jan Wallis was a pure, unadulterated hedonist.

The remuneration for every Special Forces operative was staggeringly high; yet, for the majority of them, death would claim them before they ever had the chance to spend even half of their accumulated earnings. Consequently, Xiao Yan felt he had no standing to pass judgment on Jan's extravagance.

As he approached the entrance of the bar, however, Xiao Yan was stopped. His salary from the Academy of Sciences certainly couldn't cover the expenses here; indeed, the bouncer at the door took one look at his attire and knew immediately that he lacked the means to afford anything inside.

"I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t go in."

"I’m here to see Jian Wallis. If I can’t enter, please just tell him that I stopped by."

Xiao Yan was just about to turn and leave when the bouncer offered an apology. "My apologies—I didn't realize you were a friend of Lieutenant Colonel Wallis. Please, come in."

"You’re letting me in without even verifying my identity with Jian Wallis first?"

"Lieutenant Colonel Wallis gave specific instructions: anyone who seeks entry to the *Blue Tulip* by invoking his name is to have their tab picked up by him."

Xiao Yan felt an urge to throw his head back and howl at the sky. Just what kind of decadent, hedonistic lifestyle was Jian Wallis actually leading?

Inside the bar, the crowd was sparse. Elegant yet sultry music filled the air; drinks swirled in glasses; couples whispered intimately in each other’s ears. It felt like a lavish banquet—one where, as the hands of the clock turned, souls were slowly slipping away, tick by tick.

Bathed in the soft, dim lighting, Jian’s features appeared even more alluring than usual. His chin was tilted slightly upward—not out of arrogance, but rather with an air of languid ease. His left arm was wrapped around the waist of a fresh-faced young man, savoring the Margarita the youth was feeding him, while his right hand rested casually on the shoulder of a blonde beauty.

Xiao Yan sighed. Did this guy invite him here just to show off?

Jian caught a glimpse of Xiao Yan out of the corner of his eye and flashed a smile. He didn't release the beauties he held close; instead, he simply leaned forward slightly, regarding Xiao Yan with a playful gaze. "Hey—so you actually showed up."

"I heard that if you just drop your name, you’ll pick up the tab?"

"That’s right. After all, you can’t spend money once you’re dead—and I’ve got more money than I could ever possibly spend." Beneath Jian’s eyes—which were brimming with mirth—lay that distinctive beauty mark; yet, in Xiao Yan’s eyes at this moment, that very mark seemed to carry a faint trace of melancholy.

Speaking of having more money than one could ever spend—Xiao Yan suddenly found himself wondering: what would Hein Burton be like? Xiao Yan’s fingers tapped against the bar counter. "Hey, could I get a Croatian? Put it on Lieutenant Colonel Wallis’s tab."

"Where do you plan on spending the night?" Jane’s hand was already circling Xiao Yan’s waist, his fingers tracing a path down the length of his spine; yet, with a smile, Xiao Yan took a half-step back.

"I intend to spend the night alone. I came here to tell you this: Lieutenant Colonel Casey has his own set of principles—anyone who becomes romantically involved with a research subject must leave his laboratory."

"Then what is the *real* purpose of your visit? Surely it wasn't just for a single glass of Croatian?"

"Precisely—that *is* the true reason I’m here: for the most expensive cocktail in all of Shaya—the Croatian. I never thought I’d have the chance to taste it in my lifetime. Thank you, Lieutenant Colonel Wallis." Xiao Yan raised his glass with a carefree smile, taking a delicate sip of the amber liquid, through which faint ripples of gold seemed to flow.

"You’ll regret turning me down. You’ll find yourself longing for my kisses, day and night." Light and shadow danced across Jane Wallis’s features, creating a beauty utterly distinct from the cold, rugged intensity of Colonel Burton. If Hein was a mountain peak standing proud amidst the clouds, then Jane was a beguiling mist, designed to ensnare the heart.

"I’ll be longing for the X-virus—and channeling that desire into my research with even greater devotion. I want to help Casey synthesize X—; therefore, come what may, I cannot leave that laboratory." Xiao Yan met the other man’s gaze, taking in his handsome, chiseled features. In his mind, this was a conversation between men—a dialogue of equals. He sought Jane Wallis’s recognition, hoping the man would treat him with the same respect he accorded a fellow comrade-in-arms.

"Are you sure? My nights are open for business only this *one* time, you know." Jane tilted his head slightly, his gaze—streaming from those long, narrow eyes like a flowing current—washing over Xiao Yan. The man certainly knew how to play upon another’s heartstrings.

In that instant, Xiao Yan was suddenly pinned against the bar counter. The other man’s fingers grazed his cheek, his knuckles brushing against the curve of his ear, before a deeply provocative kiss descended upon him. The world seemed to spin beneath the touch of the man’s tongue, leaving Xiao Yan utterly disoriented—unable to find his bearings. A warm, fervent hand ceaselessly stroked his back, then slid along the waistband of his trousers, boldly kneading his buttocks.

Xiao Yan gasped sharply.

*Snap out of it! Xiao Yan! Snap out of it! This isn't real! It’s all just... a hallucination triggered by—and centered on—Jane Wallis!*

Xiao Yan clenched his fists; the dull ache of his fingernails digging into his palms served to anchor his mind, bringing him back to reality one painful sensation at a time. The X-Virus acted like a gravitational force, amplifying humanity’s most primal instincts; Xiao Yan knew he had to break free from its pull.

He took a small step back. The Jane Wallis before him remained seated on the high stool, looking as nonchalant as ever—eyes half-lidded, an air of elegant languor about him.

Sure enough, everything that had just transpired was merely a hallucination.

Xiao Yan raised his glass and downed the Croatian liquor in a single gulp. His expression turned cold and stern; it seemed his attempt at negotiation had yielded no results. For a technical specialist to earn the respect of a Special Forces operative—that was never something to be achieved with a few mere words.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Lieutenant Colonel. It’s getting late, and I still have work to finish tomorrow."

The very moment he turned to leave, his wrist was seized.

"Are you sure you don't want to enjoy the rest of this evening with me?" Jane tilted his head back slightly. He possessed a face capable of bewitching anyone, yet the events of the past few moments had only served to clarify his true nature to Xiao Yan.

"I have no intention of becoming your casual diversion. Besides, your nights are precious—every single second of them deserves to be treated with the utmost seriousness."

In that instant, the image of Hein Burton flashed through Xiao Yan’s mind—standing at the very edge of a precipice; surrounded by peril, yet never once faltering.

Xiao Yan pursed his lips. Occasionally, he felt that Jane Wallis’s inner world bore a striking resemblance to Hein’s; both men were aloof and emotionally distant. Jane’s unbridled libertinism seemed less like genuine hedonism and more like a form of mockery directed at the world itself. Yet, Xiao Yan would probe no further; he knew that, at certain moments, this man would cast aside his mask—revealing a cruelty that knew no bounds. And in this moment, Xiao Yan felt a wry amusement at his own naivety. Not everyone possesses the understanding that Hein and his subordinates do—the ability to respect the stances and sacrifices of others.

Xiao Yan set down his glass and, under the collective gaze of the crowd, walked out of the bar.

"Jan? What’s wrong?" A young man draped his arm around Jan’s neck, affectionately nuzzling his temple.

Jan’s shoulders gave a slight tremor, as if he were waking from a dream.

"It’s nothing."

"That guy is such a bore. Why don't you let me keep you company tonight instead?"

"...I have a mission tomorrow, so I need to be a good boy and get to bed early tonight." Jan stood up and stretched.

As he passed the bar counter, his gaze instinctively flickered toward the glass Xiao Yan had left behind; his eyes then darkened slightly as he walked out.

A chorus of disappointed sighs rose and fell within the bar.

As Xiao Yan stepped through the bar's doors, applause rang out, and a figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

"Few people ever walk away from Jan Wallis completely unscathed! He’s practically notorious within the Special Missions Force."

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes. *Surely Denzel hasn't sent someone else to come looking for trouble with me again?*

As the figure drew closer, Xiao Yan’s eyes lit up.

Long brown hair flowed softly down the figure's back; a military uniform accentuated his tall, handsome physique; and then there was that slightly infuriating, cocky grin—a look Xiao Yan simply couldn't forget, even if he tried!

"Oh my god! Maya! Maya!" Xiao Yan threw open his arms, leaped forward, and swept the other man into a tight embrace.

Maya, in turn, effortlessly scooped Xiao Yan up, patting him on the back as he laughed: "You rascal! If I hadn't come looking for you, you probably would have forgotten all about me!"

"How could I ever do that!" Xiao Yan scrutinized Maya closely. He couldn't help but marvel at Char’s prosthetic technology; Maya’s hands and feet looked so natural that it was impossible to tell they were artificial limbs. “Just like the real thing, isn’t it?” Maya raised his hand, his fingers flexing casually. “Even though it’s a prosthetic, it transmits every sensation with incredible subtlety—your warmth, your touch... I feel it all crystal clear! And it certainly doesn’t stop me from enjoying everything in bed!”

“That’s wonderful!” Xiao Yan exclaimed with genuine sincerity, automatically glossing over the last remark his companion had made.

“Darling, shouldn’t we go grab a drink?” Maya raised an eyebrow, leaning in with the very same seductive expression he used to use to tease Xiao Yan. Yet, this time, Xiao Yan felt neither a surge of impulse nor any lingering illusions; Maya was joking, and Xiao Yan responded in kind.

“Naturally. It’s a long night ahead, and without you by my side, I wouldn’t be able to sleep a wink.” Xiao Yan deliberately adopted a rakish expression, raising his own eyebrow at Maya. And Maya—despite towering over Xiao Yan—played the part of a demure, clinging lover to perfection, linking his arm through Xiao Yan’s.

“Really? I promise I’ll make sure you have a *blast* tonight.”

“Hey! You’re being totally gross! What do you mean, ‘have a blast’?”

“I mean having a blast drinking beer!” Maya put on a look of utter innocence. “Come on, bro—you’re getting awfully impure these days!”

Meanwhile, beneath the glow of a streetlamp, the look of cynical nonchalance on Jan Wallis’s face vanished abruptly, replaced by a slow, spreading chill in his eyes.

Xiao Yan and Maya headed to a themed bar—a place featuring over a dozen holographic screens, all broadcasting baseball games. The two of them raised their glasses and drank heartily; before long, a ring of white beer foam had formed around Xiao Yan’s lips.

“Haha! I heard you’ve been sticking with the Boss ever since then! How’s it been?”

“Everyone’s been really good to me.” Xiao Yan recalled the last time they had roasted bird meat together atop a rocky peak, and a smile involuntarily touched his lips. Thinking back on it now, compared to spending his days cooped up in a research lab, those past moments of heart-pounding peril actually seemed far more interesting. However, there was one question that had been weighing on his mind—a question he hadn’t been able to get answered by Casey—and perhaps Maya could provide the answer. “Maya... let me ask you something. What if I occasionally find myself having fantasies about a certain Special Forces soldier...”

Maya suddenly spat out a mouthful of beer. “What? Having fantasies? What kind of fantasies?”

“Fine—kissing and sleeping together.” Xiao Yan decided to just let it all hang out; if he tried to act coy in front of Maya, the guy would only mock him even more.

“What do you mean, ‘kissing and sleeping together’? That sounds so unromantic!” Maya seemed to realize something and burst into laughter. “I know who it is! It’s Liv! Back when I was trying to seduce you, Liv was the one who righteously stepped in to stop me! Thinking back on it now, she must have had an ulterior motive!”

Xiao Yan’s face went completely dark. Why did Maya automatically assume his fantasy object was a woman...? No—or rather, why did Maya assume his fantasy object *had* to be a woman?!

“Actually, the object of my fantasies is Colonel Burton,” Xiao Yan said, deliberately adopting a casual tone as he nudged Maya with his elbow.

He expected Maya to laugh even harder, but to his surprise, Maya’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Are you telling the truth? If that’s the case, it means the Boss has designs on you... Xiao Yan, that’s extremely dangerous. You definitely won’t find any *pleasure* with the Boss—he’ll just screw you to death!”

Maya’s words sent a chill down Xiao Yan’s spine. *Screwed to death?*... The words Liv had used to jokingly threaten him—back when she was teasing him—suddenly flooded back into his mind.

“Hey! What kind of face is that? Hahaha!” Maya finally broke character. “I was just messing with you! Relax! The Boss would never be interested in you! The Boss isn’t interested in *anyone*!”

Xiao Yan let out a long breath of relief. So, what *was* the reason behind his fantasies, then? These questions still remained completely unanswered!

“Hey, don’t make jokes about the Boss anymore, okay? Don’t you feel like the whole mood just goes dead whenever you bring him up?” Maya clinked his glass against Xiao Yan’s, snapping him back to reality.

“...Maya, let me ask you something... Do those ordinary people you’ve kissed ever continue to have fantasies about you afterward?” Xiao Yan had long suspected that his own fantasies were a side effect of having ingested Hein’s saliva. “My kissing skills are god-tier! Of course they’d keep fantasizing!” Maya slowly leaned in toward Xiao Yan, causing Xiao Yan to instinctively lean back. Just as he was on the verge of tumbling off the bar stool, Maya burst into laughter and hauled him back up.

“Cut ​​it out! I’m asking you a serious question here!”

“Didn’t you learn the basic characteristics of the X-virus back when you were a cadet? The X-virus found in saliva lacks the ability to replicate; once it enters a normal human's body via saliva, it gets metabolized and eliminated within ten to twenty minutes. The act of kissing itself doesn't trigger hallucinations—however, the X-virus is highly addictive in a *sexual* sense. You know what I mean...”

“Is that so...” Xiao Yan had not yet—and likely never would—engage in that kind of deep-level “communication” with Hein Burton.

“Hey, what’s wrong with you?” Maya frowned, giving Xiao Yan’s head a vigorous rub. “Judging by that expression, don’t tell me some Special Forces guy is actually making a move on you? Is it Jan Wallis?”

“Ugh... don’t even mention that name! It gives me a headache!” Xiao Yan pressed his hands firmly against his temples.

That night, Xiao Yan drank until he was practically sick, yet Maya remained as energetic as ever.

He hoisted Xiao Yan onto his back, left the bar, and hailed a mag-lev taxi.

“Hey, Xiao Yan! What’s the address for your officer’s quarters?” Maya gave Xiao Yan’s head an exasperated pat; unfortunately, the guy just mumbled incoherently, unable to string together a single complete sentence.

“If you don’t speak up, I’m just going to haul you back to *my* place!” Maya rubbed Xiao Yan’s head again.

“Mm... mm...” Xiao Yan merely let out a couple of soft murmurs.

“You idiot... if you can’t hold your liquor, don’t try to go toe-to-toe with people! You’re never going to win a drinking contest against a Special Forces operative!” Maya shook his head. “And you have absolutely no sense of self-preservation! It’s a good thing I consider you a brother—otherwise, you’d definitely end up dead in someone’s bed tonight!”

In that moment, Maya felt truly noble.

After bringing Xiao Yan back to his own officer’s quarters, Maya gave him some water to drink. The guy was dead to the world—sleeping like a log—and had even sprawled out in a wide, starfish-like pose, taking up the entire bed. “Good thing I’m not a germaphobe! If the Boss were here, he’d surely squash you like a cockroach!” Maya flopped onto the bed, nudging Xiao Yan over to the other side.

Suddenly, the communicator on his wrist popped open, and Mark’s cocky, grinning face appeared right in front of Maya.

“Haha, Maya! You’re really living the high life over there in Char!”

Maya raised an eyebrow. “Weren’t you guys out on a mission? What are you doing calling in the middle of the night...?”

"Got some spare time to chat with me?"

"This mission was a piece of cake! We're heading back to base now! I didn't even get a chance to stretch my muscles! It was honestly a total bore!"

"So you decided to come pester me instead?"

"Haha, exactly! We're out here freezing in the cold wind while you're lounging in the warmth of the Shire—no matter how I look at it, it just doesn't seem fair!" Mark, appearing on the screen, cast a sidelong glance and noticed what looked like someone lying beside Maya. "Whoa there, Maya! Who the hell did you hop into bed with? You didn't actually kill someone, did you?"

Maya flashed a mischievous grin. "He's certainly dead asleep right now. Want to see who it is?"