Chapter 239

Chapter 239

Each day still had 24 hours, but with only darkness visible whether eyes were open or closed, time dragged on unbearably.

Without daylight, aside from workers, many people's biological clocks and sense of time had already become disoriented.

They stopped checking the clock, ate when hungry, slept when full, and did whatever they felt like after waking.

The polar night had lasted over half a month, yet it felt like half a year—different from Cheng Jing’s past life experience. The extended darkness wasn’t a good sign.

By late December, there was no hint of cooling weather. Even with strong nighttime winds, the heat persisted.

Last year at this time, it had been bitterly cold, far harsher than now.

"Gao, tomorrow’s 8 a.m. work plan has changed. We’re going on patrol again. Use your superpower to sense if there’s anything unusual around."

At 11 p.m., in normal times, in the central district dormitory, Gao Xuyang had just stepped out of the shower when Yang Kai relayed the instructions, showing him the message from the command center on his phone.

Gao Xuyang barely glanced at it before nodding silently.

"Alright."

He just had to follow Yang Kai—the details didn’t matter.

When Yang Kai reached to dry his hair, Gao Xuyang declined.

"It’s late. You should shower first."

"Fine. But showering together would save water and time," Yang Kai teased as he gathered his clothes, heading to the bathroom with a hint of disappointment. Whether changing or showering, Gao Xuyang kept his guard up.

"..."

Gao Xuyang didn’t respond. Only after Yang Kai entered the bathroom did he rise and walk to the mirror by the entryway, studying his reflection—the deathly look had faded a lot:

The veins under his skin weren’t as stark, appearing almost normal unless inspected closely. The murky, lifeless gray of his eyes was also dissipating, making him far less frightening.

Now, he could keep up his Purify for over half an hour straight. Once he got a little more stable, he could afford to be more intimate with Yang Kai. Showering together—he wanted that too.

Since the polar night began, they’d been living together normally in the central district dormitory. Living together day after day, he could truly feel Yang Kai’s care and devotion, as well as those times Yang Kai would wake up in the middle of the night and hold him tight in panic.

After the last reckless infection incident, Yang Kai ran everything by him now, asking his opinion first.

Only in bed did Yang Kai get bold, pushing limits playfully.

Yang Kai loved running his hands over him, yet Gao Xuyang remained unresponsive to touch—nothing came of it, leaving him feeling guilty.

Staring at the mirror lost in thought for a while, Gao Xuyang finally returned to the bedroom to make the bed and lay out their uniforms for the next day.

Since moving in, Yang Kai had banned him from late-night chores or hand-washing clothes—everything went straight into the machine.

Once finished, he waited for Yang Kai to finish showering so they could chat briefly before lying down. They talked more easily now, though Gao Xuyang’s mind still moved slowly.

After letting Yang Kai’s hands roam freely, it was time to sleep. Though he didn’t need rest, he closed his eyes to conserve energy—this was their usual routine now.

*Click—*

With the soft sound of the switch, the light dimmed, leaving only the hum of the fan spinning in the dark room.

Yang Kai climbed onto the bed from the other side and nuzzled close like a big dog, gathering his lover's tense body into his arms as he murmured:

"Xuyang..."

His voice was thick, his breathing quick and hot—what he wanted was clear.

On many occasions before, Yang Kai had only used his hands, which had felt unfair. So, when the other man reached out to seek more this time, Gao Xuyang heard himself say:

"Let me try something different."

Before Yang Kai could refuse, he knelt down beside his waist.

"Don't—"

Yang Kai bolted upright, stopping him with both hands:

"No need. This is just a normal reaction to having my lover beside me. You're still recovering, both physically and mentally. Just let me handle this."

He couldn't bring himself to take advantage of Gao Xuyang in his current state.

"It's fine. I want to help. We're lovers."

Gao Xuyang insisted, turning off the nightlight before leaning down in the darkness, following hazy memories. His slow heartbeat quickened slightly.

With Gao Xuyang's face and actions obscured in darkness, Yang Kai let himself drift, giving himself over to the sensation...

People always want more than they have. At first, he had only wished for his lover to stay alive by his side, happy just to have him near, without physical intimacy. But now, his desires grew stronger every day.

"Xuyang, are you uncomfortable?"

When they were done, Yang Kai pulled him close, content, and asked.

Gao Xuyang shook his head:

"No, I'm fine. Sleep now. You have a lot to do tomorrow."

He couldn’t share Yang Kai’s heavy workload, only able to be a quiet companion—which made him yearn even more to recover fully.

"Alright, you rest too."

Yang Kai closed his eyes contentedly, still holding him.

Chasing an older man hadn't been easy, especially someone like Professor Gao, who seemed easygoing but proved frustratingly hard to catch.

They moved in completely different circles. If Gao Xuyang chose to hide, Yang Kai would be completely lost—yet Gao Xuyang somehow monitored his every move and whereabouts in secret.

Thankfully, secret missions and frequent work overlaps had helped bridge the gap.

But once won over, he was incredibly sweet. In every aspect, Professor Gao indulged him, accommodating him with surprising patience—even balancing their highly unusual work dynamics effortlessly.

"..."

Expecting to wake naturally as usual, Yang Kai was instead surprised when Gao Xuyang suddenly awoke halfway through the night.

After listening intently in the darkness for a long moment, sensing something, he glanced at the sleeping Yang Kai before carefully slipping out of bed.

But Yang Kai, conditioned to wake easily and accustomed to clinging to him, woke the moment he tried to leave. The room’s light flicked on:

"Professor Gao... Where are you going? Are you hungry?"

He was already on his feet as he spoke, rubbing his tired eyes to check the time—almost 4:30 a.m.

"It's not hunger. Sorry for waking you..."

Gao Xuyang felt a little guilty and pointed at the ceiling.

"I want to go up to the rooftop. I detected some brainwave signals from others like me—like a deliberate rallying cry... Very faint, probably quite far away, but numerous. It’s got me worried. There’s less interference on the rooftop, so I want to try sensing them there."

Sensing others like him didn’t rely on his Superpower but was an instinct as the Zombie King. However, the residential noise and energy flares from other Superpowered individuals would interfere with his perception.

To sense distant and weak signals from his kind, he needed a quiet place. Since heading out wasn’t in the cards now, the rooftop was the best alternative.

"It’s fine. Let’s go—I’ll come with you."

Yang Kai yawned, slipped on his shoes, casually grabbed a gun, and put on night-vision goggles without changing out of his pajamas, looking like a half-dressed mess.

Gao Xuyang moved effortlessly in the dark. Since he had night-vision goggles, there was no need to turn on a flashlight—saving them the hassle.