Chapter 326: Extra: If Captured Line 2

Chapter 326 Side Story: If—Captive Route (Part 2)

Almost simultaneously, Jiang Qi felt a sharp pain in his wrist.

The Federation's shock setting was within human safety limits—painful, but not enough to incapacitate Jiang Qi.

He grabbed the drowning man's ankle, pushed him toward the shore, with his mouth and nose above water, snagged in the reeds.

These actions clearly interfered with the wristband's sensors. It determined that Jiang Qi had not ceased his escape attempt, and under the intensifying electric current, Jiang Qi finally felt dizzy.

His limbs went limp, muscles twitching slightly. He gave up, letting the current take him toward the center of the lake, making no effort to resist.

As he drifted farther from the shore, Jiang Qi stared at the starry sky and thought, "Drowning in an ornamental koi pond isn’t so bad. I just hope I don’t scare anyone tomorrow morning."

Hopefully, no one would be frightened.

But then, he heard frantic footsteps. Someone snapped an order to cut the current, followed by a loud splash as someone plunged into the water.

Firm, warm fingers clamped around his wrist, dragging him forcefully toward the shore. Before Jiang Qi closed his eyes, he caught a glimpse of a strikingly handsome face.

The commander’s hat was gone, his damp bangs dripping water. Moonlight cast sharp shadows over his strikingly handsome nose and brow, accentuating his stern, cold expression—like a stranded mermaid from myth.

Jiang Qi shut his eyes.

*

When he woke, the first thing he noticed was the smell of disinfectant.

The sharp, medicinal bitterness lingered in the air. Jiang Qi twitched his fingers and felt the tape wrapped around the back of his hand—he seemed to be on an IV.

He didn’t open his eyes.

This was a habit from his time in the Empire. Waking too fast just meant torture would come sooner. He could pretend to be out, stretching out this brief moment of peace.

Voices murmured in the hallway.

The two speakers kept their voices low. Jiang Qi couldn’t make out their words, but from their voices, he guessed it was the commander and someone he didn’t recognize.

Jiang Qi thought indifferently: *Probably deciding my fate.*

In the hallway, Ye Wang and the doctor were reviewing Jiang Qi’s condition.

Ye Wang flipped through the medical report, then pressed a hand to his forehead. "This severe?"

The electric shock was the least of it. Jiang Qi’s body was outwardly strong but crumbling inside—his muscle and bone density readings were impressive, but his internal organs were a disaster. The numbers were alarming even to Ye Wang, a layman.

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "Major General, I don’t know what your superiors plan to do with this man, but medically speaking, I strongly recommend immediate rest. His ability to move around now is just riding on youthful stamina. If his condition isn’t properly treated, his body will deteriorate prematurely, leading to an early grave."

"I know. I’m just puzzled," Ye Wang said with a bitter smile. "Given his condition, he should’ve been medically discharged for rehab. Why did the Empire keep sending him to the frontlines?"

"You’d have to ask their doctors," the doctor shrugged. "In any case, Major General, he needs a structured diet plan, sufficient rest, medication, and—please avoid subjecting him to electric shocks. That could push his already fragile body over the edge."

Ye Wang nodded. "Understood, Doctor."

He walked to the end of the hallway and made a call.

After some discussion, Ye Wang returned to the ward.

He deliberately tread lightly, but in the silent, empty room, his footsteps still sounded jarring. Jiang Qi’s body tensed under the covers before he forced himself to relax.

He didn’t want to ruin this hard-won peace.

He heard the commander walk to the bedside, sit on the edge, and then lift the blanket slightly.

Jiang Qi's fingers curled slightly but quickly restrained themselves.

When Ye Wang took hold of his wrist and pulled it out from under the blanket, he let out a quiet sigh of relief.

That was close—he almost got caught.

Yet as Ye Wang held his wrist, he lowered his gaze to set the shock device. After a few beeps, the device actually unlocked.

When the restraint left his wrist, Ye Wang lifted the blanket again and tucked his hand back inside. Jiang Qi couldn’t keep pretending anymore.

He looked up in surprise, scrutinizing Ye Wang, searching for any clues in the commander’s demeanor.

Ye Wang pocketed the shock device and met Jiang Qi’s gaze head-on. Jiang Qi had dark eyes that seemed unnervingly calm when he fixed them on something.

Ye Wang explained, "Your physical condition isn’t suitable for wearing a shock device. Yesterday, saving that person was a heroic act. The device’s misjudgment was our mistake."

He paused, then added, "However, without the device’s control, you can’t return to the detainee camp. You’ll need to be temporarily transferred—"

Jiang Qi interrupted abruptly, "I can wear it."

Without blinking, he broke in, "I don’t care about the shocks. I can wear it."

He liked the man-made pond in the camp, the koi fish in the water, the mirror-like surface reflecting the blue sky. If removing the device meant being locked in a cell instead of staying in the camp, he refused.

"No. This matter has already been approved by command," the commander said.

Jiang Qi’s eyes visibly lost their light.

Ye Wang frowned slightly. "You want to stay in the camp? But I think you might need a quieter environment. And since I was the one who authorized the removal of your device, from now on, I’ll act as your..."

He faltered, choosing his words carefully, "As your supervisor—or guardian."

"...?"

Supervisor made sense, but "guardian" was usually reserved for minors. Jiang Qi was taken aback and instinctively asked, "What do you mean?"

Ye Wang replied, "That means I’ll directly assess whether your actions are dangerous or if there’s any risk of escape. Which means, until the probation period is lifted, you’ll live with me."

"???"

By the time he finished the IV drip and the examination, and was led home by Ye Wang, Jiang Qi was totally confused.

Of course, this wasn’t the commander’s villa in the capital but a temporary residence within the camp. Jiang Qi observed that security here was stricter than in the detainee camp—escape would indeed be harder.

But sharing a living space with the commander was just too strange.

Ye Wang’s quarters were far better than the detainee camp—rustic wood furnishings, a large balcony, floor-to-ceiling windows, even a lounge chair by the window with a blanket and some fabric tossed over it.

Ye Wang pointed to the guest room. "You’ll sleep there."

Then, he went to his own room without another word.

Jiang Qi stepped into the guest room, carefully closed the door, and listened intently for any movement outside.

The commander was silent.

He let Jiang Qi roam freely around the house without setting any rules.

Jiang Qi walked to the bedside and pressed down on the mattress, feeling a bit out of place.

It was an extremely soft and plush bed, hugging him like a cocoon—completely different from the military-issued cots he was used to.

The commander was treating him way too kindly.

Since he was still recovering, feeding the fish was put on hold. The commander began routinely bringing home two portions of meals. One night at dinner, he suddenly pushed a glass of milk across the table.

"?"

Jiang Qi’s fingers bumped the glass. He looked up in confusion to see Ye Wang sipping a beer, staring at the ceiling, lost in his own head. "Here," the commander said. "The doctor said you need more protein. Drink it."

So Jiang Qi picked it up and drank it sip by sip.

After that, milk was a given every night.

Jiang Qi couldn’t figure it out—why was Ye Wang so nice to him?

Ye kept his usual cool distance, neither interfering with Jiang Qi nor being disturbed by him. They’d just say ‘morning’ to each other before Ye Wang left for work, returning at dusk. Not wanting to barge in on his roommate’s privacy, he would knock and announce, "I'm back."

Jiang Qi would reply, "Welcome back, Mr. Ye."

Like they were actually living together.

Since Jiang Qi didn’t need to go out, he took on some household chores while Ye Wang was away—sweeping, wiping tables, like some overeager housekeeper.

Ye didn’t get it, but whatever.

Out of nowhere one night, Jiang Qi asked, "Sir, may I use the ingredients in your fridge?"

Ye Wang paused mid-bite, almost choking at the thought of his rival playing chef. "...Go ahead. Use whatever you want. But it’s pretty empty."

The next day, Jiang Qi opened the fridge.

The fridge was practically bare—just a few wilted greens and questionable steaks. But the top shelf was packed with cartons of milk—

The same milk Jiang Qi drank every night.

Before long, Ye noticed Jiang Qi getting way too comfortable in the house.

He was still puzzled by the commander’s inexplicable kindness, but like a stray finally trusting its feeder, Jiang Qi, who had initially confined himself to the guest room, now began exploring beyond it.

He started watching TV with Ye Wang in the living room, rummaging through the fridge, and gazing out from the balcony. His favorite spot remained the beanbag chair—perfect for stargazing. When Ye Wang worked late in the study, he’d occasionally step out for water only to find his former adversary randomly materialized on the couch.

At some point, Jiang Qi stopped waiting to shower till Ye was gone.

As a temporary residence, the place only had one shower. Previously, Jiang Qi had always waited until Ye Wang retreated to his study.

When summer arrived, Jiang Qi changed into lighter sleepwear, his skin still damp, making the fabric stick to him.

Jiang Qi never gave a damn about stuff like that.

Having grown up in the lower districts and laboratories, survival was his daily priority—too many exhausting concerns left no room to fret over clinging clothes.

But Ye was squirming.

He looked at Jiang Qi, glanced off, then back two seconds later, then tilted his head up at the ceiling for half a minute before stealing another look.

Commander Ye buried himself in a search: *How to tell your roommate they’re basically half-naked.*

After undergoing the modification experiments, Jiang Qi's senses were sharper than those of an ordinary person, so he easily noticed Ye Wang's stare.

Therefore, after slowly finishing his milk, Jiang Qi suddenly looked up and blurted out randomly, "That works, sir."

Ye Wang nearly dropped the remote control in his hand.

He instinctively raised his voice, "What?"

Jiang Qi replied calmly, "I said that works, sir."

"..."

Ye Wang was momentarily speechless.

There was something profoundly inhuman about Jiang Qi—apart from things he cared about, everything else was disposable to him, whether it be life, suffering, or anything else.

If this was the price for their current peaceful life, then so be it.

This commander was already one of the best people he had ever met.

Ye Wang suddenly began coughing harshly.

Without much thought, he grabbed a nearby blanket, threw it over Jiang Qi's head, gripped his shoulders, and pushed him into the guest room.

Ye Wang said, "Jiang Qi, just go to sleep, okay?"

Then he slammed the door shut, locked it with a click, and hurried away in a flustered rush, as if someone were chasing him.

Jiang Qi blinked once, then again.

He felt somewhat confused and startled.

...So, what exactly was Commander Ye's motive for being so kind to him?