Chapter 87: Silent Frost Domain Continued

Chapter 87: The Dead Silent Frozen Wastes (Continued)

"Hui," the notorious antagonist from the original work.

He was the most enigmatic S-class pollutant, appearing abruptly in the final chapters without any prior foreshadowing. He was only exposed when the protagonist was investigating pollution incidents, and then all accusations were directed at him.

Now, Shen Ji totally got it.

Just look at him—he totally looked like a villain!

"I always knew that one's looks could influence their vibe, which is why I wear glasses and style my hair a certain way to appear more amiable and approachable," Shen Ji muttered to himself. "Just looking at him, even I think he's a creep."

"..."

Man, when I get critical, I don't hold back.

But honestly, at this stage, Hui was indeed too different from Shen Ji.

If the Hui they saw in Shen Ji's memories had already begun to take on a human form and shared some similarities with Shen Ji, then the Hui at this stage seemed more like a pollutant—one with relatively low cognitive abilities, unable to fully comprehend human behavior.

That sense of inhumanity constantly lingered around him.

It made one wonder: Pollutants are monsters born from obsession. Every pollutant has an obsession that drives them to act as monsters.

Then what about Hui? What was his obsession?

Gluttony? Devouring? Or something else?

"He must have an awareness of ranking up," Shen Ji remarked, still holding the sleeping Li Zhiyan with one arm, his eyes reflecting Hui standing motionless in the distance. "He didn't just pass by here randomly; he specifically chose this place. An S-class pollutant is enough for him to advance to S-class. Maybe he even carefully selected it, making sure this S-class was the easiest to bully."

"An A-class pollutant with intelligence and rationality, but with a strong inhuman aura? Yikes, now that you mention it, he really is special."

"For pollutants, independent consciousness and thought only appear in S-class pollutants."

In the distance, Hui stood still, raising his head. The sunlight fell on his face, making his pale pupils glisten like glass marbles. His long black hair cascaded down to his feet, and as a breeze blew, his hair strands twitched slightly—revealing themselves to be clusters of small black mushrooms.

The small mushrooms stretched out into hyphae, each piercing into the ground. They moved according to Hui's will, as if they were one with him.

It was then that Shen Ji noticed Hui's eyes weren't just pale; they were also filled with fine black threads—hyphae as well.

His entire body seemed to be condensed from hyphae.

This made Shen Ji instinctively glance at his own arm. The blue veins running along it made him unsure whether they were mushrooms or part of a genuine human circulatory system. Shen Ji frowned slightly, feeling even more acutely that he was no longer human.

Hui gazed silently at the sky, his eyes reflecting the clouds.

The system picked up on the fact that Hui also disliked speaking.

Despite having the same face, Hui and Shen Ji gave off entirely different impressions.

Hui's coldness and inhuman aura were overwhelmingly strong. His eyes held no emotion, resembling an exquisite corpse or even an artwork crafted from glass. Merely confronting him, let alone making eye contact, required courage.

At first glance, Shen Ji might seem somewhat cold, but upon closer inspection, it was clear he was human.

His expression was stern, but once you interacted with him, you'd realize he was a warm-hearted, good person. Gradually, people would overlook Shen Ji's somewhat cold appearance and grow to trust him more and more.

The thought of having bound with Hui instead made the system shudder—it would have been terrified to tears every day.

Whimpering, it concluded that Doctor Xiao Ji was far better.

Just then, the system subtly sensed something.

"Hui is spreading pollution."

Pollutants have a strong territorial instinct. Puppet City had already become the new territory chosen by Diary, and eventually, this place would be devoured by Diary.

But now, a pollutant had appeared out of nowhere and was spreading pollution as a provocation.

For Diary, an S-class pollutant from a decade ago, this was a crude insult.

And yet, it fell for it.

"Most pollutants are like this. The only one who might not fall for it is Wrath?" the system speculated. "Even you, with a human soul, are affected by territorial instincts. But then again... could it be that Hui also went to Wrath's territory to provoke him like this?"

"...So that's why Wrath knows Hui, right?"

Sure enough, in the air, an entirely white pollutant began to materialize. Its form had slight differences from what Shen Ji had seen before.

Its body, still resembling stalactites, remained unchanged, but its eyes were yellow—a quicksand-like earthy yellow. It stretched out its arms; aside from the red blood vessels, its bones seemed to be made of sand and stone, fitting the name "Dead Silent Desert" even more.

"Who are you?" Upon seeing Hui, Diary's tone shifted from anger to confusion.

It had assumed an S-class pollutant was encroaching on its territory and seizing its prey, only to find it was merely an ordinary A-class.

An A-class pollutant, daring to provoke an S-class? Did he have a death wish?

Hui didn't respond at all. The moment he detected Diary's arrival, he swiftly retracted all the pollution. In an instant, Diary sensed something amiss—the surrounding air stagnated, and the next moment, it shattered like transparent glass. Countless black hyphae materialized out of thin air, lunging directly at Diary.

Diary neither dodged nor defended.

In its view, this was nothing more than an itch-like attack.

Thus, the hyphae coiled around its wrists and ankles, wrapping it entirely in those black thread-like substances.

"Your audacity is remarkable," Diary said. "A mere A-class, yet you show no fear in facing me."

It was then that Hui finally spoke.

"I'm so scared."

He uttered the words with a completely flat tone, his pale pupils devoid of any fear.

"I'm too scared, so just die."

In just a few seconds, Diary sensed his aura changing. The next moment, Diary felt pain. It looked down in surprise at its hands and feet, only to see that where the hyphae had entangled it, the pollution was rapidly disappearing—being devoured.

As the pollution was consumed, the hyphae began to multiply and expand.

With a loud boom, Diary exploded into scattered dust. The particles veered around the small mushrooms and dispersed into the air with the wind. But the next moment, the hyphae also exploded, covering the dust with countless invisible black spores.

These were seeds that, once attached, could not be shaken off—a gluttonous appetite.

Realizing that this thing could indeed consume its pollution, Diary directed its attack at Hui, who stood motionless. Killing the main body was the best way to suppress the pollution.

Thus, the sand in the air turned into sharp blades, countless red blood tendrils piercing through Hui's body from behind.

The blood-like red merged with the black on Hui, forming a peculiar painting.

But the next moment, black fungal sprouts spread from Hui's body, beginning to envelop the red blood tendrils that had pierced him. The Diary realized in horror these were also being devoured.

So the Diary decisively severed the red blood tendrils, dissipating them directly into the air.

Hui didn't mind either, seemingly just having a brief encounter with it, so he remained very calm. The wound on his chest where he had been pierced began to be covered with fungal threads, healing at a visible rate. Within seconds, he returned to his original state.

"Hungry," he said. "Eat mushroom."

Before anyone present could react, Hui grabbed the black mushroom on his shoulder, like a child in a tantrum phase, and directly shoved it into his mouth.

Bro! You're actually eating it?!

The black little mushroom escaped from his mouth, its cap bearing a circle of tooth marks, sobbing as it fled.

Hui just followed, chasing the mushroom, as if he hadn't just fought an S-class contaminant a moment ago.

Shen Ji: ...

"..."

The System couldn't help but exclaim, "So weird, Shen Ji, do you understand his logic?"

Shen Ji didn't understand, but...

"It feels familiar."

"Familiar to what?"

"When I first arrived in this world, I observed Hui's items and made some simple inferences about his personality based on certain things," Shen Ji recalled. "I judged that Hui was a strange being who, in some ways, felt very non-human, but in other ways, aligned with human traits."

"For example, he had no income, so he chose not to eat, staying in his rented room for several weeks without going out; but on the other hand, he found a way to get himself a phone."

At that time, Shen Ji felt this guy's way of thinking was very strange.

Both human and not human.

Just then, a little blue butterfly fluttered its wings and climbed up from the ends of Li Zhiyan's hair. Shen Ji reached out his hand, and the little butterfly hopped onto Shen Ji's finger.

The little butterfly fluttered its wings once.

Li Zhiyan also moved in Shen Ji's arms.

"Is he waking up?"

"Probably," the System speculated. "Although Puppet City now appears as it did ten years ago, the people currently in Puppet City are all residents of X City now."

"Probably only when the Diary is immersed in memories will this place match the situation from ten years ago, affecting the protagonist."

"This setting really isn't fitting for a protagonist," Shen Ji tugged his hair back from under the chair. "How can a protagonist be unconscious during important plot points?"

"Wasn't there no plot involving Puppet City and the Silent Frost Domain in the original work?"

"Bad ending or not, protagonist is protagonist."

Li Zhiyan slightly opened his eyes, looking up at Shen Ji. Those pale blue eyes were like broken glass windows. His tone was somewhat mumbled, but he made sure to be heard.

"What bad ending and protagonist?"

"You are the protagonist," Shen Ji smiled at him. "Your protagonist status is about to be lost."

Li Zhiyan didn't want to get up; he closed his eyes again and burrowed into Shen Ji's arms, like a large dog acting spoiled.

"I'm the protagonist, then what are you? The second lead?"

"No, I'm the villain."

"A villain who infiltrates the protagonist's team, hides his identity, and backstabs?" Li Zhiyan murmured drowsily. "That's very hot."

Shen Ji: ...

You've read quite a few steamy novels, kid!

Definitely not straight from the start!

"Get up quickly," Shen Ji patted his shoulder. "If you lie down any longer, my legs will go numb."

Li Zhiyan turned over, curling back up into Shen Ji's arms, showing no intention of getting up at all.

So Shen Ji reached out and pulled his hair. "We're working right now."

"I hate work."

Li Zhiyan whined pitifully, "Can't we just both quit our jobs and run away together?"

Only Li Zhiyan could make blowing off work sound so romantic.

"No," Shen Ji leaned back in his chair, his tone still gentle. "Unlike before, we can't just worry about ourselves now."

"There are still so many people in this Puppet City who haven't left."

Li Zhiyan opened his eyes, looking into Shen Ji's eyes.

A few seconds later, he got up from Shen Ji's lap. Just as Shen Ji was about to crack a joke, Li Zhiyan suddenly leaned down and kissed him on the lips.

After the kiss, Li Zhiyan hugged Shen Ji, closing his eyes and resting his head on Shen Ji's shoulder, holding him tight.

"At least at this moment, we can represent ourselves."

/

After explaining his theory to Li Zhiyan, Li Zhiyan nodded to show he understood.

Ten years ago, he was indeed in a deep sleep, but at the same time, Li Zhiyan also realized another issue.

"You're not affected because you didn't sleep?"

Shen Ji shook his head. "Don't know."

Li Zhiyan paused to think. "Were you the one who saved Puppet City ten years ago?"

"I don't know either," Shen Ji pointed to his temple. "I've lost a lot of things. I used to think I was like you, asleep, but now it seems that's not the case."

Li Zhiyan understood. "Is that why you were upset earlier?"

"Yeah."

Shen Ji sighed softly. "Do you ever feel this way? You thought nothing had happened, that you were just sleeping peacefully, and then suddenly, someone tells you: you were sleepwalking the whole time."

Li Zhiyan felt that Shen Ji's use of the word "sleepwalking" was spot-on.

An experience one doesn't remember is just like sleepwalking at night—carrying a hint of eeriness and a scientific vibe, perfectly bridging the magical and scientific sides.

How come no one has written a novel about a "Sleepwalking Avenger"?

"Alright, in that case, our rescue plan needs a name change," Li Zhiyan announced. "From now on, it shall be renamed 'Little Mushroom's Roots Quest'!"

Shen Ji: ...

His naming skills are a trainwreck—did he even pass middle school Chinese?

But to be honest, Shen Ji was really curious.

How exactly did Hui, with the abilities of a Class A Pollutant, manage to kill an S-class pollutant?

The difference between each level of pollutant is vast. There are many Class A Pollutants, but only a handful of S-class pollutants. Even after thirty years, not a single Class A Pollutant has successfully advanced to S-class. So, in the eyes of the Pollution Prevention Center, pollutant levels are considered fixed.

They cannot advance by devouring their own kind.

And then there was Hui—an oddity.

By gorging itself, it went from a low-level pollutant all the way to Class A, all without ever being detected by the Pollution Prevention Center. That in itself was already miraculous, but it even dared to provoke an S-class pollutant and ended up actually eating it, using it to advance to S-class.

"But this way, I can at least conclude that you used to be a good mushroom too," Li Zhiyan suddenly said.

Shen Ji turned to look at Li Zhiyan. "Why do you say that?"

"All pollution incidents in this world are reported to the Pollution Prevention Center. Even though the Pollution Prevention Center doesn’t work on the front lines, they handle rear analysis and coordination. All data is backed up there—that’s how Gardener and Wrath were discovered."

"The Far Wilderness Exploration Team also explores unknown polluted areas precisely to understand unidentified pollution."

"So, if the Pollution Prevention Center has no information about you whatsoever, it can only mean that you’ve never caused any harm to humans."

Li Zhiyan exclaimed with admiration, "That’s truly incredible."

"The protagonist makes a valid point!"

The system said in shock, "In the original work, Hui was an S-class pollutant that appeared out of nowhere. Neither the Pollution Prevention Center nor the plot had any foreshadowing about him. I found it strange, but if Hui never caused any pollution disasters, then it makes sense—how could he be discovered if he never caused any disasters?"

"Holy crap? It all fits?!"

Just then, the sky suddenly changed. The residents of Puppet City, who had been going about their normal activities, once again came to a standstill, as if time had frozen.

Li Zhiyan yawned; he was starting to feel drowsy again. But this time, he reached out and grabbed the mycelium on Shen Ji’s wrist.

"Can these little things enter my body?"

Shen Ji turned to look at him. "Hmm?"

"You can control the pollution inside a person’s body and use this method to treat contaminated patients. So, can they also help me control the effects of the Diary’s pollution?"

Shen Ji looked at the Small Mushrooms on his hand. "Can you?"

The Small Blue Mushroom and the Small White Mushroom swayed slightly. Finally, the Small Blue Mushroom emerged from his wrist.

Yes, the little blue one can do it!

The Small Blue Mushroom has eaten the pollution here, so the Small Blue Mushroom can help handle it!

Shen Ji grasped Li Zhiyan’s hand. In his drowsy state, Li Zhiyan felt his hand being held as Shen Ji interlaced their fingers—whether intentionally or accidentally, it was unclear.

Just like that, the Small Blue Mushroom transformed into mycelium and burrowed into Li Zhiyan’s palm, immediately sinking into his wrist.

A sharp pain shot through him, and Li Zhiyan’s eyes snapped open.

The drowsiness gradually faded. He felt somewhat tired and weak, but he no longer felt like passing out as if he had taken sleeping pills.

"It really works."

Li Zhiyan was amazed, but the next moment he saw a strand of blue mycelium emerge from his wrist, swaying boastfully before burrowing back into his body.

Li Zhiyan: ...

To be honest, accepting that a sentient thing had entered his body required some guts.

Just then, Li Zhiyan turned and saw a familiar person.

Or was it familiar?

The person had long black hair and was sitting on a bench by the street. His black hair roots dug into the bench, and the ends of his hair nibbled at the wood like ants. He stood on the bench with no regard for public decency, his eyes emotionless as he stared ahead.

Like a machine without feelings.

Yet he was strikingly beautiful, his extreme sharpness accentuating the allure of his appearance.

In front of him was a stalagmite-like being—"Diary."

"Get out of my territory!"

Diary had had enough!

Ever since this Class A Pollutant arrived, it had seized control of the entire Puppet City. It covered the city with mycelium, devouring any pollution Diary spread before waiting for the next round, like it was waiting to be fed.

The longer Puppet City dragged on, the less able Diary was to claim the people inside. Meanwhile, Hui grew stronger with each feeding of pollution.

After all, this was the edge of the primordial rift—territory chosen by an S-class pollutant, where the pollution was even purer than elsewhere.

Hui stared at him, posing thoughtfully with his chin on his hand.

"Not tasty," Hui said. "Your flavor is like diesel."

Those words sent Diary into a rage. It finally stopped holding back and decided to kill this bastard who had overstayed its welcome!

Countless red threads pierced Hui’s body from all directions. This time, as usual, they sought his deepest memories. But the red threads gradually turned black, and Diary was shocked to discover: Hui had no deep memories.

"How is that possible?"

"Where is your obsession? Your obsession as a pollutant?!"

Countless mycelium surged forward, but Hui’s pale eyes held only indifference.

"About that, I’m still looking."

"Only S-class pollutants lack obsession. Pollutants with obsession are nothing but fuel. You gave me an obsession I shouldn’t have, yet you have the audacity to talk about seeking obsession."

His gaze shifted from Hui in front to Shen Ji behind.

Shen Ji locked eyes with him.

Unlike the memories from a decade ago, the current Shen Ji appeared so serene and settled, yet within those deep black eyes, one could detect the same chilling detachment as Hui’s.

This murderer, who had outright forgotten it, couldn't even be bothered with its revenge at this very moment.

So arrogant. So utterly convinced of his own rightness.

Memories were fading, countless threads streaked through the air, but in the next instant, numerous blue butterflies shielded against them. The threads paused for a moment before erupting in flames.

Blue fire rapidly raced up the threads.

Diary stared fixedly at Shen Ji and Li Zhiyan beside him.

“Is he your obsession?” Diary roared, on the verge of losing it. “Your obsession is a human?”

The enemy it had dreamed of killing paid no attention to it, caring only for a human. This realization sent it spiraling into breakdown and fury until it completely lost control.

“Hui!”

Diary still remembered that day—amid a sea of fungal tendrils, that person stood in place, his ash-gray eyes devoid of any emotion. His level was rising due to consuming, and Diary witnessed the transformation of a Class A Pollutant into an S-class. It also saw his gaze shift from empty indifference to slight confusion.

Hui tore Diary apart but also severed his own long black hair—though it wasn’t human hair at all, just a cluster of small black mushrooms clumped together.

His left eye turned bright red, then shifted to black within seconds.

For a moment, he truly seemed almost human.

At the final moment, Diary asked him, “What is your name?”

He glanced at the pollutant plummeting into the Primordial Rift and finally replied.

“Hui.”

Hui: unclean, filthy, leftover, barren.

Shen Ji suddenly understood why he was called Hui.

He was incomplete—something cast aside. He had lost many things, and within his independent self-awareness, he realized this, though chaos prevented him from fully grasping it.

So he called himself Hui, like left-behind grime.

“No,” Shen Ji shook his head in denial. “My obsession is not Li Zhiyan.”

Li Zhiyan turned to look at Shen Ji and just gave a faint, wry smile at his statement. “I don’t want to be anyone’s obsession either.”

Shen Ji thought it over, then spoke earnestly:

“Of course you won’t find my obsession in memories, because my obsession doesn’t exist within memories.”

“What I am searching for is the me that does not exist in memories.”