Chapter 183: Names

Chapter 183: Names

In times of stress, absurd thoughts can emerge, much like the Chief Director's current musings about whether electrokinetics possess some unique ability to awaken latent powers in others after shocking them. This thought led his gaze toward Xing Yuan with an intensity that was hard to miss:

"How did Lu Yan manage all this? Could it be because he's an electrokinetic?"

Lu Yan and Xing Yuan's relationship was no longer a secret, and the Chief Director was trying to pry information from him. Otherwise, at this rate, Devil City would soon outnumber Sky City in terms of power users, turning Sky City into a laughingstock.

Xing Yuan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with his fingertips, barely restraining the urge to curse. "Doesn't the Monitoring Institute know if there are any special functions? A single shock from an electrokinetic could turn someone to ashes; how could it possibly grant them powers?!"

Regardless of whether Lu Yan had such capabilities, Xing Yuan certainly didn't.

The Chief Director persisted, "Could it be that you're shocking too severely? What if you tried lighter shocks?"

Veins bulged on Xing Yuan's forehead. "Lighter shocks would land people straight in the hospital! Nie Zhuanguang wasn't exactly a stranger to the hospital after your shocks!"

Nie Zhuanguang, who had poor eyesight, had provoked Xing Yuan plenty when he first rose to power, often ending up half-dead and spending months in the hospital. At Xing Yuan's reminder, Nie Zhuanguang flushed red with embarrassment, unable to retort.

The Chief Director remembered this history, unsure whether to feel disappointed or something else. Xing Yuan crossed his legs, lifting his eyelids coldly as if seeing through the man's thoughts. "Sky City is practically sealed off. Whatever happens in Devil City has nothing to do with us. Why meddle so much?"

He was almost telling the Chief Director not to stick his nose where it didn't belong.

When trouble arose, you weren't willing to intervene, but now that they've gained strength, you're eager to get involved. There's no shame in that.

Frustrated, the Chief Director slammed the table. "Meeting dismissed!"

As people left the meeting room in small groups, they were still reeling from the news of Lu Yan converting power users, whispering amongst themselves. Luo Yang and the others had intended to ask Xing Yuan for inside information, but he breezed past them, ignoring their calls, disappearing around a corridor corner in the blink of an eye.

The button in the System Store that required electricity to activate had been used by Lu Yan to convert over five hundred power users today, nearly draining his own abilities. He only disbanded his team and returned home in the early hours of the morning, leaving the rest for another day.

Unsurprisingly, none of the lights were on when he arrived home. The dim surroundings allowed only vague outlines of furniture to be seen. After all, wanderers preferred the darkness. However, the faint blue-violet glow of electricity being tossed around on the sofa seemed out of place.

"Back?"

Xing Yuan lay lazily on the sofa. Seeing Lu Yan return, he flipped his wrist, instantly retracting the power he had been manipulating.

"Mm, I formed a team today and converted many power users."

Lu Yan sat down beside the sofa and leaned in to kiss Xing Yuan, wondering if he would inquire about the powers and how he should explain it. But Xing Yuan merely wrapped his arms around Lu Yan's neck, deepening the kiss slowly.

Wanderers embodied all desires in the world. For Xing Yuan, who had just tasted love, nothing else mattered. He vaguely sensed that Lu Yan was no ordinary person but had little interest in investigating further, just as Lu Yan never deliberately probed into his past.

Xing Yuan entwined his arms around Lu Yan's waist, kissing until they were both breathless. They eventually rolled onto the carpet from the sofa. Closing his eyes, he let out a hoarse sigh, looking satisfied, and chuckled softly. "You really pissed off that old man, the Chief Director, today."

Lu Yan pressed his forehead against his, his slightly cool nose gently brushing against his cheek. "Don't you have anything to say?"

Xing Yuan held him close, speaking languidly. "I do."

Lu Yan: "What?"

Xing Yuan leaned close to his ear, whispering words of love, laced with the cruelest affection of a monster. "Lu Yan, I want to devour you, swallow you whole."

Admittedly, it was a better way to go than being buried in a grave.

Lu Yan was also caught up in these extreme emotions, slowly tracing Xing Yuan's features with his fingertips, smiling softly. "Okay."

But it was uncertain who would consume whom. The ambiguous night concealed their intertwined figures, clothes scattered across the carpet. Lu Yan kissed away the tears at the corners of Xing Yuan's eyes, muttering to himself. "I wonder how long it will take for the Red Moon to disappear."

Lu Xiaozhao had been captured in the Contaminated Zone, with a trace of Si Duo's divine consciousness buried within him, putting his life constantly at risk. Lu Yan secretly hoped that the war would come and end quickly, otherwise, it felt like a ticking time bomb, robbing him of peace even in sleep.

Xing Yuan turned his head to look out the window. The crimson moon was gradually fading in color. "Soon. Today, I controlled several low-level wanderers to enter the Contaminated Zone to gather information about Lu Xiaozhao. As soon as Si Duo extracts that sliver of divine consciousness from him, we'll move immediately to rescue him."

Lu Yan nodded indifferently. "I'm just worried he might kill himself."

#His foolish younger brother, oh#

Lu Xiaozhao had always lived in a daze, as if he couldn't understand why he was suddenly in a place like the Contaminated Zone while sleeping peacefully in his room. He found himself in a dim cave, with those wanderers lurking in the shadows, their black silhouettes resembling ghosts. In the center was a pool of red lava, bubbling like boiling water, with a vague figure of a hunched elder floating above it, causing inexplicable unease.

Lu Xiaozhao jumped in fright. Ignoring the rough sand on the ground, he scrambled to run out, but was pushed back by a gust of black wind at the cave entrance, tumbling and dazed. He panicked, demanding,

"Who are you? Why did you capture me!"

The cave was silent, no one answering his questions. The pairs of blood-red eyes in the dark stared at him, the cold wind carrying a stench of rust and decay.

The shadow hovering above the lava flickered momentarily, its voice like that of a kind old man. "Child, don't be afraid. You've simply returned home."

"Come closer, let me see you."

Si Duo's shadow opened its arms wide, trying to appear benevolent, but the greed and excitement lurking in its voice betrayed it slightly.

Lu Xiaozhao had heard Lu Yan mention that the wanderers had a leader named Si Duo. He wondered if it was this strange entity before him. Panicked and disoriented, his calves began to cramp. "I-I... My legs are weak... Who are you? What do you want from me?"

Si Duo slowly lowered his arms, his words laden with meaning. "You are me, and I am you."

Lu Xiaozhao hastily waved his hands. "No, no, no, you must have mistaken me for someone else. You're so old, and I'm so young. How could we be the same person?!"

Si Duo's aged voice echoed in the cave, seemingly irritated. "Child, youth and age are mere illusions. Only life matters. Both you and I will achieve immortality."

Lu Xiaozhao couldn't comprehend what he was saying, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "Can you send me back to where I came from? My family will be worried if they find out I'm missing."

"..."

Si Duo suddenly fell silent, the air filled with a deathly silence. Even the wanderers standing motionless nearby ceased their movements, their blood-red eyes fixated on Lu Xiaozhao, as if mocking his naivety.

After a moment, Si Duo finally spoke. "Do not step out of the Contaminated Zone. Number Two, take him away. He must remain alive until the Reincarnation Ceremony."

"Yes."

One of the shadows in the darkness responded, and then a gust of black wind swiftly approached, enveloping Lu Xiaozhao and dragging him deeper into the winding cave, much like an ant's nest. Finally, he was roughly thrown into one of the corners.

"Plop!"

Lu Xiaozhao found his mouth full of dust, and with two forceful spits, he scrambled to his feet, intent on fleeing. However, the black mist seemed to read his mind, its voice neither laughing nor smiling, "Stay put here obediently. If you dare to run around, I can't guarantee that you'll stay alive."

Something about this voice struck Lu Xiaozhao as familiar, causing his expression to shift. "Are you Xing Yuan?!"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he quickly refuted them. "No, you're not Xing Yuan. Who are you really?!"

Xing Yuan's rank far surpassed that of the black mist before him, his presence more oppressive, and his true form was a dark red. Although their voices were similar, they were actually quite distinct.

Number Two let out an exclamation of surprise, flying right in front of Lu Xiaozhao. "Why can both you and your brother tell that I'm not Xing Yuan?"

Lu Xiaozhao suddenly lifted his head. "You know my brother?!"

Number Two's voice was low, carrying an indescribable allure. "Of course, it was me who captured you. Though, you're not as good-looking as him."

Fuming, Lu Xiaozhao clenched his fists. This creature had already wronged him, but now it was attacking his appearance. "What do you want from me after bringing me here?!"

Number Two chuckled. "Didn't Sido say it already? You're his reincarnation, and a sliver of his divine consciousness lingers within you. If we don't extract it, you'll soon die from your body exploding. So, it's best not to step out of the contaminated area lightly. Do you understand?"

"Reincarnation? How could I be his reincarnation?!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Xiaozhao's eyes widened instantly, shock sending cold sweat streaming down his back. He looked at the wandering black mist before him, trembling for a moment. "Why are you telling me all this? Are you friends with Xing Yuan?"

Number Two was somewhat displeased. "He is him, and I am me. How can we be lumped together?"

Lu Xiaozhao realized that if this wanderer were friends with Xing Yuan, he wouldn't have been brought here against his will, and he felt his spirits sink as he lowered his head. "I thought you were his friend."

Number Two loved nothing more than deceiving naive children. "I'm not his friend, but I can be your friend."

Hearing this, Lu Xiaozhao's eyes flickered. Could this monster be so kind-hearted? But he was alone and helpless here, and it wouldn't hurt to establish a good relationship with the other party. "Alright, let's be friends then. My name is Lu Xiaozhao. What's yours?"

Number Two hesitated for a moment before reluctantly uttering two words: "Number Two."

It was clear that he disliked this name very much.

Lu Xiaozhao found it strange. "What kind of name is that? That's called a code, not a name. Friends don't address each other like that."

Number Two was puzzled. "Then how should friends address each other?"

Lu Xiaozhao pondered for a moment, his eyes suddenly lighting up as he clapped his hands in delight. "Got it! How about I call you Lao Er from now on?!"

Number Two was speechless.

He was so pissed off he wanted to kill someone.