TIC Chapter 40

 Chapter 40

This was the first time Xiao Yan had spoken to Jian since he began his research.

“Because they are of the same kind.”

“Then how do they distinguish their own kind? We all know that a zombie’s brain has atrophied; they possess no cognitive functions. What do they use to identify their own kind?”

Xiao Yan’s question stumped Jian.

“That question falls outside the scope of my expertise. That is your domain, Xiao Yan.”

“What do these zombies have in common?”

“They were all once human.”

“Aside from that?”

Jian paused. At that moment, there was an intensity—an aggressiveness—in Xiao Yan’s gaze that was usually absent. Under that penetrating stare, the typically laid-back Jian instinctively began to ponder the question Xiao Yan had posed.

“They were all infected by the Comet Virus.”

“A virus requires a host to spread; that is why zombies transmit the virus by biting humans. However, the Comet Virus wouldn't compel its host to bite *another* host, as that wouldn't facilitate the virus's wider dissemination. Therefore, if this hypothesis holds true, there must be a specific segment within the Comet Virus’s genetic chain dedicated to self-recognition!”

Jian nodded and replied, “Although I’m no virologist, what you’re saying certainly seems logical.”

“Yet, the zombies still attack the Special Forces soldiers.”

“They do.”

“But the X-Virus you guys were injected with was spliced ​​directly from the genetic chain of the Comet Virus.”

“Right... So why *do* the zombies still attack us?” Jian, too, had become genuinely curious.

“That means—once you strip away the segments of the Comet Virus’s genetic chain that overlap with the X-Virus—the remaining segments must contain the specific sequence responsible for self-recognition! I have to find it... I have to find it...”

Xiao Yan set down his utensils, rose abruptly, and strode quickly out of the dining hall.

“Hey! You haven't finished eating yet!”

Jian stood up, shrugged helplessly, and followed right on his heels—never letting him out of his sight.

Xiao Yan plunged back into his research mode. He filtered out every segment of the Comet Virus’s genetic chain that duplicated the X-Virus. Then, cross-referencing his past studies, he eliminated every other known sequence. Among the remaining, seemingly inert sequences, Xiao Yan was convinced that a crucial, previously overlooked key lay hidden. For an entire afternoon, Xiao Yan’s mind never strayed from the terminal; he remained immersed until, imperceptibly, his thoughts began to slow—no longer able to keep pace with the ceaseless flow of data—and he finally drifted off to sleep.

His consciousness descended slowly, sinking ever deeper into the darkness.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself back in that expanse of warm, gentle seawater.

It had been a long time since he had allowed himself such languid ease. Xiao Yan simply let himself drift within the azure depths.

A figure cut through the ripples of the water—strands of golden-brown hair trailing behind like an infinitely stretching illusion—moving with a grace and power that brought him gently to a halt right before Xiao Yan.

*Hein...*

The man’s eyes seemed to merge seamlessly with the surrounding water, blurring the boundaries between reality and illusion.

Xiao Yan stared wide-eyed at the man before him. It had been only a few days since he last saw Hein, yet Xiao Yan suddenly realized that, somewhere along the way, this man had become an indispensable, almost elemental presence in his life. An inexplicable yearning surged within his heart: *Closer... come even closer to me!*

Stretching out his arm and extending his fingers with all his might, Xiao Yan reached out to touch Hein—even if only to brush against the very tips of his hair. Xiao Yan could not fathom why he felt such an urgent, desperate need to draw near to him. Yet, Hein remained suspended at a fixed distance—neither too far nor too close.

“Why do you wish to come closer to me?”

His tone was as detached and cold as ever; yet, Xiao Yan felt an overwhelming urge to tear away every layer of this man’s exterior and peer into the deepest recesses of his heart.

He found himself utterly unable to answer the question, for Xiao Yan himself did not know the answer.

“Then answer me another question—honestly this time: Did you kiss me back because it was *me*, or because of the X-Virus?”

His voice remained utterly devoid of inflection—much like a programmed query from a terminal interface.

Xiao Yan knew that he could never lie to Hein. He had no choice but to speak the truth—even if that truth might provoke the other man’s anger.

“Because of the X-Virus.”

Xiao Yan felt a tremor of apprehension—though he could not quite pinpoint the reason for his unease.

He had never expected the figure before him to actually speak. The Hein standing there was, after all, merely a fragment of data; yet, asking a question implied the act of *thinking*. How could a mere snippet of information—detached from the conscious mind that generated it—possibly possess the capacity to think? Suddenly, Hein grabbed Xiao Yan’s hand and yanked him violently forward. Xiao Yan was pressed with immense force against Hein’s chest; together, they plummeted through the water, breaking through the currents to land upon a stretch of fine, soft sand. Grains of sand—like a trickling stream—brushed against their skin and whispered past their ears, drifting delicately upward toward the ocean above.

“So now... nothing has anything to do with the X-virus.”

Before Xiao Yan could even grasp the significance of those words, Hein’s lips descended. With an undeniable intensity, he pressed against Xiao Yan’s lower lip; the tip of his tongue invaded the seam of Xiao Yan’s mouth with a commanding pressure, taking him completely captive. Xiao Yan’s eyes widened, unable to believe what was unfolding before him. All he could see were Hein’s lowered eyes and brows—the curve of his eyelashes rendered in sharp, vivid detail. The powerful kiss deepened relentlessly until Xiao Yan felt he could barely endure it. For the first time, he realized that a kiss was not merely a physical act; not only did every cell in his body tremble, but even the deepest recesses of his mind were being branded with an indelible mark. Hein hooked his tongue around Xiao Yan’s—which felt clumsy and hesitant in comparison—and brazenly teased every soft, sensitive spot, as if this would never end until he received a response from Xiao Yan.

The man’s embrace was so tight that Xiao Yan wondered if he might actually be crushed within those arms.

Xiao Yan tentatively pressed the tip of his tongue against Hein’s. This tiny gesture acted like a fuse igniting a wild fire; Hein’s kiss suddenly erupted into a frenzy of unbridled passion—shaking off the shackles of his usual composure, it poured forth like a runaway force. Xiao Yan had never imagined that a man who appeared so cold—so utterly devoid of desire for anything—could possess the capacity for such a profound kiss. Yet, this earth-shattering kiss did not fill Xiao Yan with fear; rather, in every forceful suck and pull of Hein’s lips, he felt the undeniable truth that he was not merely an expendable presence in this man’s life.

He mattered. He truly mattered—so much so that this man would never easily reveal it, choosing instead to hold him deep within the innermost sanctuary of his own desires.

As Hein slowly withdrew his lips from Xiao Yan’s, Xiao Yan instinctively lifted his head, reaching out to chase after the kiss. He rained ceaseless, light kisses upon Hein’s lips, then extended the tip of his tongue, eagerly slipping it between the other man’s lips to seek out Hein’s own tongue. He sucked gently, feeling Hein return the kiss—a response that felt like a form of encouragement, driving Xiao Yan to kiss him with even greater intensity.

He did not know whether this man truly accepted him in this moment, nor was he certain of the true nature of the other’s feelings; he knew only that he wanted to please him—that he wanted this cold, distant man to experience at least a flicker of pleasure.

The other man’s palm came to rest against Xiao Yan’s cheek, gently easing their lips apart. In that instant, a sense of emptiness—indescribable in its depth—opened up within Xiao Yan’s heart. His gaze locked with the other’s eyes, terrified that Hein might push him even further away.

Yet, Hein simply leaned in to plant another soft kiss upon his lips.

“You shouldn’t do this, Xiao Yan.”

“…What?” Xiao Yan looked at Hein in bewilderment; the other man’s eyes resembled a fathomless abyss—drawing him ever closer, threatening to suddenly swallow him whole.

“You’ll make me lose control.”

Xiao Yan had no time to fully process the meaning behind those words. Hein’s fingers gently kneaded through his hair as light, scattered kisses rained down upon his cheeks and neck. Then, Hein kissed his collarbone with fierce intensity; the sensation—the illusion that, through flesh and blood, even his very bone was being taken into the other man’s mouth—caused Xiao Yan to instinctively tighten his grip on Hein’s shoulders. His clothes were deftly swept aside, and the moment Hein’s lips touched his chest, his heart seemed to swell within his ribcage. Hein’s tongue pressed against the small, firm nub on Xiao Yan’s chest—a sensation utterly distinct from the soft, rounded contours of a woman’s body. Hein’s tongue traced teasing circles around it, only to suddenly clamp down and take it fully into his mouth the very next instant; teeth grazed against skin, creating the startling illusion that he intended to devour Xiao Yan’s chest whole.

“It hurts…” Xiao Yan gasped, letting out a soft whimper.

“Say my name.” The command-like tone was starkly different from his usual cold detachment—as if something that had been suppressed with every ounce of his strength was finally on the verge of bursting forth. “...Hein...” Xiao Yan gazed intently at the man before him. Hein Burton was holding himself in check, yet his body seemed to seethe with latent power at every moment; such a man could effortlessly destroy him without even needing to frown.

“Are you afraid of me kissing you?” Hein lowered his head, the tip of his tongue lightly grazing Xiao Yan’s lower abdomen. His kisses trailed downward, growing more intense as they reached Xiao Yan’s waist.

“I’m not afraid.” Xiao Yan’s fingers wove into Hein’s soft golden hair; pressing down on the man’s head, he guided him until Hein’s breath brushed against his own aroused desire—hot and searing—sending tremors through Xiao Yan’s entire body.

“Then never be afraid.”

Before he could fully grasp the meaning behind those words, the most vulnerable part of Xiao Yan’s manhood was completely taken into the other man’s mouth. His pupils dilated instantly; Xiao Yan gasped, utterly stunned that such a thing could actually be happening—something he hadn’t even possessed the courage to fantasize about, not even in his wildest dreams (Note 1).

“...I want to hold you so badly... but it would destroy you.” Each word was articulated with crystal clarity.

Hein released Xiao Yan, then bit down hard on his earlobe.

Xiao Yan cried out in surprise.

“So *that’s* what you consider painful...”

Xiao Yan turned his head to the side, gazing into Hein’s eyes—a look filled with both helplessness and profound depth.

Reaching out, Xiao Yan touched Hein’s brow ridge—a presence that felt so undeniably real.

“Are you merely residual data lingering in my mind... or are you nothing more than my own imagination?”

The *real* Hein Burton would never be this wild, this utterly unbridled.

“That is a question *you* must answer.”

Xiao Yan’s eyes snapped open; he stared blankly at the scene before him until the image of Hein Burton suddenly vanished, leaving the entire world feeling hollow and empty.

A teasing voice rang out, grating on Xiao Yan’s nerves.

“You really are something else—falling asleep while your brain is still linked to the terminal. If a ‘Blocker’ were to infiltrate the system right now, you’d be completely defenseless.”

It was Jian. He removed Xiao Yan’s neural link, severing the connection between Xiao Yan’s brain and the system. “Did I... fall asleep?”

“What do you think? You’ve been logged into the terminal for five hours; a normal person’s brain would have given out long ago. You need to rest.”

Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and pressed his hand against his forehead.

“I think I had a dream.”

“What kind of dream?”

“I... don’t remember.” Xiao Yan struggled to recall it, but to his frustration, his mind remained a complete blank.

“If you can’t remember, don’t strain yourself trying to think of it. Sometime later—perhaps while you’re brushing your teeth or drinking a glass of milk—it will suddenly come back to you.” Jian lowered his head slightly, his gaze fixing on the area between Xiao Yan’s legs, and a smile of deep significance curved upon his lips. “Oh—it certainly looks like it was a *very* pleasant dream!”

Xiao Yan looked down and was startled to discover that the area between his legs was damp; clearly, the content of the dream he had just experienced was... quite erotic.

Damn it! To think that Jian Wallis—of all people—had seen this! Xiao Yan felt like his head was going to explode from sheer mortification.

“There’s no need to be so embarrassed,” Jian Wallis said, crouching down in front of Xiao Yan. He tilted his head back, presenting his entire—and infuriatingly handsome—face to Xiao Yan’s view, then lifted Xiao Yan’s chin with his fingers. “As long as the object of your fantasy isn’t Hein Burton, we’re all good.”

“What?” Xiao Yan’s chin trembled, and he stared at the other man with wide eyes.

Jian Wallis let out a soft chuckle and spoke in a languid, drawling voice: “Don’t you know? The better a man is at exercising self-control, the more terrifying he becomes when he finally reaches his breaking point?”

“What does any of this have to do with Colonel Burton?!”

True, Xiao Yan might have had a rather embarrassing dream—and Jian Wallis was welcome to use it to mock and tease him all he wanted—but the moment Hein was dragged into it, the implications became something else entirely. “Because... you were murmuring his name while you slept.” Jan’s fingers pinched at Xiao Yan’s cheek; though his expression was teasing, his gaze betrayed a certain sense of pressure. “Not the highly respectful ‘Colonel Burton,’ but simply ‘Hein.’”

Xiao Yan abruptly slapped Jan’s hand away, glaring fiercely into his eyes. “Lieutenant Colonel Wallis, your joke isn’t funny in the slightest.”

“Are you angry?” Jan watched as Xiao Yan stood up, his gaze following him the entire time.

“Let’s call it a day. Thanks to you, I’m no longer in the mood to do any research.” With a cold expression, Xiao Yan saved his research data, shut down the lab terminal, and strode out of the room.

“Where are we going for dinner?”

*With you trailing right behind me, I wouldn’t feel comfortable eating anywhere!*

Xiao Yan didn’t answer Jan, instead grumbling inwardly in frustration. *Why did it have to be this guy? Why did I have to fall asleep? And even if I fell asleep, why did I have a wet dream? And even if I had a wet dream, why was Jan Wallis the one standing right there? He must have watched the whole thing from start to finish—he’s probably laughed so hard his jaw is cramping!*

As he passed a series of research labs—many of which were still in use—Xiao Yan quickened his pace, attempting to shake off Jan, who was following close behind, even though he knew it was a completely futile effort.

*Oh, what the hell. At worst, I’ll just have to let this guy tease me for the rest of my life!*

Just as he was passing one particular lab, an alarm suddenly blared.

Xiao Yan’s shoulders tensed instantly; that alarm sound was all too familiar. The sensation of a blade piercing his abdomen—that agonizing pain—once again surged along his nerves and deep into his brain.

Researchers were scrambling through the corridor in a panic, their faces etched with alarm.

“Quick, contain it! What the hell have you guys done? How could the dosage be wrong?!”

*What is ‘it’ referring to?*

“Oh God! It’s broken loose!”

Just as Xiao Yan stood frozen, unsure how to move, a figure suddenly stepped in front of him.

“Don’t step outside my perimeter.”

It was Jan Wallis.

In stark contrast to his usual flippant tone, his voice was now cold, steady, and alert.

“What happened?” Jan grabbed a passing researcher by the arm; upon noticing the combat uniform Jan was wearing, the researcher’s expression shifted to one of sheer relief. “It’s the zombie from Research Lab No. 9—the one used for dissections! It’s broken free!”

“What?”

At that very moment, the sound of panicked scrambling reached their ears. Several researchers rounded the corner in disarray; one zombie, its jaw hanging loose and flopping wildly with every stride, stumbled after them—its bloodshot eyes appearing unfocused as its arms flailed wildly in the air.

“Help! Somebody, help us!”

“What the hell are you guys doing?” Jian frowned, grabbed Xiao Yan, and pulled him into an empty research lab, locking the door with swift precision.

The other researchers began pounding on the door, weeping and begging Jian to let them in.

“Open up! The zombie is coming! Open the door, now!” Jian crossed his arms, a mocking smile playing on his lips, yet his gaze was so ruthless it sent shivers down the spine.

Only then did Xiao Yan snap back to reality.

“What are you doing?! Let them in!”

“Why? That zombie broke containment solely because of *their* incompetence; therefore, they are the ones who should be held accountable for this entire mess.” Jian maintained his languid demeanor, the corners of his mouth curling upward as if he were thoroughly enjoying the spectacle unfolding before him. It was as if the more terrified and wretched the researchers became, the happier he grew.

The zombie drew closer and closer to the researchers, who were now trembling uncontrollably with fear.

“For you, dealing with that zombie would be child’s play!”

“So I’m supposed to do it for them? Everyone must pay the price for their own mistakes. Besides, that zombie’s combat capabilities are limited; if they possessed even a shred of grit, they could easily take it down. Xiao Yan... you need to learn to appreciate what you’re seeing right now. It may appear cruel, but it serves as a vital reminder: never be so weak as to place your hopes—or your survival—in the hands of others. This isn’t merely a rule of the battlefield; it is the fundamental law of natural selection.”

Jian tapped his fingers rhythmically against the glass, watching with cool detachment as the researchers were consumed by terror.

“Lieutenant Colonel Wallis! You’re a soldier!”

“Don’t address me by my rank like that. My duty is to protect *you*—not everyone else.”

Xiao Yan gritted his teeth; just as his fingers reached for the door-release button, Jian’s hand clamped down over his. "Xiao Yan, let's..."

"Let's make a bet."

"You're actually in the mood to make a bet right now?" Xiao Yan glared fiercely at the other man; yet, as if completely oblivious to his fury, Jan merely curved his lips into a teasing smirk.

"Open this door. If you can't take down that zombie using your own strength, then tonight—you belong to me. I’ll kiss you, I’ll hold you... being with me isn't nearly as terrifying as you imagine."

"You’re fucking pathetic!"

"I’ve wanted you for a long time now." Jan’s smile remained unchanged, though his gaze had grown significantly darker.

A sense of familiarity stole over Xiao Yan; he could hear nothing but the sound of his own breathing and the frantic pounding of his heart. Jan’s fingers slowly parted the collar of his shirt, his knuckles brushing lightly against Xiao Yan’s neck—a touch so gentle it seemed to caress his very nerves, threatening to drag him down into the abyss at the very moment he was most vulnerable.

Clenching his teeth, Xiao Yan violently shoved Jan’s hand away. In that instant, reality came rushing back.

"Don't tempt me, Lieutenant Colonel. I am under your supervision; if you possess even a shred of military integrity, do not forget your duty."

"Protecting you and bedding you aren't mutually exclusive goals. So? Are you up for the bet?" Jan still refused to give up on using his smile to seduce Xiao Yan.

But by now, Xiao Yan had regained his composure completely. His gaze swept across the room; he realized he was inside the Condensing Agent Research Center. Xiao Yan gave a cold smile and said to Jan Wallis, "You’re going to regret making a bet with me, Lieutenant Colonel."

Jan seemed to anticipate Xiao Yan’s intentions and replied unhurriedly, "This isn't your personal lab. Your fingerprints and ID won't grant you access to the experimental equipment stored inside."

Xiao Yan offered no verbal reply; instead, he raised his terminal connector and interfaced with the system. His mind raced as he hacked into the lab’s network; the storage unit holding the semi-finished research prototypes automatically slid open. Xiao Yan retrieved a condensing gun from within, walked over to the door, and issued a cold command: "Get out of the way!"

"Xiao Yan, that gun in your hands hasn't been calibrated yet. You’re going to end up hurting yourself." Jane’s brows furrowed slightly, and the playful curve vanished from her lips.

For some time now, standard firearms—which rely on heat-generated kinetic energy to inflict damage—have proven utterly ineffective against zombies. Consequently, the Central Academy of Sciences began researching offensive weaponry designed specifically to utilize extreme cold. Manufacturing such weapons was not inherently difficult; however, due to the scarcity of the materials required to produce the necessary cryogen, mass production was simply impossible. The Cryogenics Laboratory, therefore, focused its efforts on developing "cryo-guns" capable of delivering maximum freezing power while consuming the absolute minimum amount of raw materials. Yet, just last week, this newly developed batch of cryo-guns was found to harbor a critical, severe defect.

"Lieutenant Colonel Wallis, perhaps in your eyes, we are nothing more than greenhorns who spend our days cooped up in a lab, never seeing blood or battle. Perhaps there is no gunpowder smoke here, no grotesque zombies—but this place is *our* battlefield. And just beyond that door stand my comrades. Lieutenant Colonel, would *you* ever abandon your comrades on the battlefield?"

"You’re just putting on a brave front." Jane shook her head with a sense of helpless resignation.

"Whether it’s a brave front or not—at the very least, I won't know until I’ve tried. Besides, what I do best is finding the path to success *after* I’ve failed." ”

Xiao Yan lifted his chin, appearing both nonchalant and fearless; without a moment's hesitation, his finger pressed the button. Fortunately, the zombie's sense of direction had been disoriented by the chemical agent, allowing the researchers to scatter in all directions. The two researchers standing by the door scrambled clumsily into the cryogenic laboratory; hearing the commotion, the zombie charged furiously toward the sound.

Xiao Yan raised his gun, and the instant the zombie leaped to pounce on him, he decisively pulled the trigger.

The cryogenic round shot forth; the moment it struck the zombie's forehead, it caused a rapid drop in temperature. A sharp cracking sound rang through the air as the zombie's brain instantly froze solid. It crashed heavily to the ground, and the moment its head smashed against the floor, it shattered into fragments.

Silence fell over the corridor. The researchers cautiously poked their heads out; seeing the zombie lying motionless on the ground, one researcher finally stepped forward. After confirming that the cryogenic round had successfully destroyed the zombie's brain, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

Xiao Yan’s fingers remained clamped around the cryogenic gun, his arm trembling uncontrollably. As the cryogenic round had fired from the muzzle, it had rapidly absorbed the surrounding heat; consequently, Xiao Yan’s fingers had frozen fast to the trigger, and a layer of frost had even formed upon his eyelashes.

“Xiao Yan... it’s over! You really have quick reflexes!”

The researchers failed to notice Xiao Yan’s distress.

“Thank you, Xiao Yan!”

The researchers rushed forward to support his arm, only to discover—upon touching him—that his limb was utterly devoid of warmth.

“Oh no! Hurry! Activate the thermal therapy unit!”

Xiao Yan’s lips quivered; it felt as though every single cell in his body was freezing solid. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible force—unable to beat.

The researchers gently laid Xiao Yan’s body flat and lifted him up.

“He can’t walk on his own! Move it!”

Xiao Yan’s breathing grew increasingly labored, and the air he exhaled billowed out in plumes of white mist.

“Get out of the way!” ”

Jan pushed the researchers aside, scooped Xiao Yan up in his arms, and laid him onto the thermal therapy unit.

The freezing gun was still clamped to Xiao Yan’s fingers, and the thermal unit required time to calibrate. Any further delay, and he would be completely frozen solid.

“Xiao Yan, don’t push me away this time.”

Jan’s voice rang out right beside his ear.

Wh...at...?

Jan’s fingers brushed lightly against Xiao Yan’s lips; the very next moment, he leaned in. Warm breath flowed through their lips and teeth, surging into Xiao Yan’s body; he could feel his dying cells breaking free from their icy shackles, coming back to life once more. Jan’s hand pressed against Xiao Yan’s shoulder, slowly sliding down his arm until it reached his fingers; gently, he pried away the freezing gun. As the weapon clattered crisply against the floor, Xiao Yan’s heart began to pound.

Jan continued to kiss Xiao Yan ceaselessly. Even though Xiao Yan’s body had by now fully recovered—and despite repeating the exact same angle and intensity with every kiss—Jan seemed to feel no weariness whatsoever.

The researchers finally finished calibrating the thermal unit; when they looked up and beheld the scene before them, they stood frozen in stunned silence.

Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his rationality battling against the rising tide of desire. The blood that had once been frozen to a standstill now surged wildly through his veins. Meanwhile, Jan’s kisses—which had begun as a simple intertwining of lips—grew increasingly provocative, pressing against Xiao Yan’s every nerve ending like a relentless tide crashing over him.

Clenching his fists even tighter, Xiao Yan slammed his hand violently against Jan’s back, then sank his teeth into him without mercy.

Jan winced slightly, then finally lifted himself away.

“Xiao Yan, are you alright now?”

The researchers swarmed around them.

Jan slowly stepped back; Xiao Yan could no longer see his expression.

Only after confirming that Xiao Yan’s body was safe and sound did the researchers disperse to attend to their follow-up procedures.

“Remember what you said to me: ‘Whether it’s just bravado or not—you won’t know until you’ve actually tried.’” ”

Xiao Yan stepped away from the thermal therapy unit. Glancing to the side, he saw Jian leaning against the wall with his arms crossed—shrouded in shadow, his expression was indecipherable.

His voice resonated like an echo from the very depths of hell.

“I was being reckless. But I don’t regret it.”

“Why?”

“Practice always takes precedence over theory.” Xiao Yan bent down, just about to reach for the freezing gun that had fallen to the floor, when Jian suddenly materialized right in front of him and seized his hand.

“If you get frostbitten again, I won’t just kiss you—I’ll take you right then and there.”

“Getting frostbitten this time confirmed for me that the concept of using a freezing agent to freeze zombies is unfeasible.”

“You certainly have a lot of wild, far-fetched ideas.”

“Perhaps I can turn them into reality.”

“Maybe that’s exactly why they sent me here to protect you.” Jian took a deep breath. “Now I know exactly why I want to get you into bed so badly.”

“Because I turned you down?” Xiao Yan gave a slight tug at the corners of his lips; he didn’t care for discussing topics of this nature with Jian.

“I wouldn’t care if the entire world rejected me.” Jian turned away with a dashing flourish, waving his hand dismissively. “Come on, Xiao Yan. Let me treat you to dinner. Right now, you need to clear your head, fill your stomach, and get a good night’s sleep. Then, perhaps tomorrow, you’ll make some new breakthroughs.”

If it wasn’t because of the rejection, then what *was* it? The question flitted through Xiao Yan’s mind, only to be quickly suppressed. If Jian had wanted to explain, he would have done so already. Xiao Yan had no intention of wasting his mental energy pondering meaningless things.

“It’s not going to be... *Blue Tulip* again, is it?”

“The lighting in there is too dim; I can’t even get a good look at your face.”

“Can I say no?” Xiao Yan rubbed the back of his hand against his lips, a sense of unease beginning to creep in. He had once ingested Heine’s saliva—a mishap that had led to some wildly unrealistic dreams about Heine, and subsequently, some rather unspeakable hallucinations. His mind was already chaotic enough as it was; now that he’d ingested Jian Wallis’s saliva today as well, the last thing he wanted was for his object of fantasy to suddenly morph into...

“No. ”

Jan slapped a hand onto Xiao Yan’s shoulder with such sudden force that, for a split second, Xiao Yan nearly buckled at the knees.

Xiao Yan’s sense of alarm went through the roof; suddenly, he felt an overwhelming hatred for the X-virus.

“Come on, don’t be like that. You took care of that zombie, so—per the terms of our bet—I won’t make a move on you tonight.”

Xiao Yan’s eyebrows twitched. He hadn’t missed the word “tonight” in Jan’s statement. *Only* tonight? What about tomorrow night? What about the future? Just how dangerous was it to be around this utterly unprincipled guy?!

This time, Jan took him to a small restaurant. The establishment didn’t rely heavily on holographic projections for its decor; instead, it felt more like the kind of humble, roadside eatery one might see in movies depicting street scenes from over two centuries ago.

Xiao Yan paused, slightly taken aback, but Jan simply lifted his chin. “Go on in. The owner here insists on serving entirely handmade dishes—something far more worth savoring than those meals designed by terminal systems, where the taste and plating are always carbon copies of one another.”

“This doesn’t really seem like your style.”

“And what, exactly, is my style?”

“A relentless pursuit of superficial glitz and luxury.”

The corners of Jan’s lips curved upward ever so gently. “You’re the one who said it: every single second of my life deserves to be treated with the utmost seriousness. And right now... I intend to savor every single one of those seconds.”

In that fleeting moment, the Jan standing before him appeared so simple and pure that it was utterly captivating.

A hovercraft settled atop the Central Academy of Sciences. A man with long, slender legs stepped out of the hatch, his hair whipping around him in the wind churned up by the engines.

In the darkness of the night, his icy-blue eyes appeared even more hollow and vacant than usual.