Chapter 29 Brainless

Chapter 29 Brainless

His roommate's tone was flat, saying "I don't have parents" as casually as if he were saying "It didn't rain today."

Lin Jianyuan was momentarily at a loss for words, his mind a jumble. Suddenly, many things clicked into place.

Like why his roommate bought a new phone but opted for an old model released years ago. Why he never ordered takeout, always eating at the school cafeteria or cooking for himself at home.

And his clothes. Lin Jianyuan had never seen him hang clothes on the balcony. He must have very few outfits.

His shoes had never appeared on the shoe rack either. Could he really only own one pair...?

After a moment's thought, Lin Jianyuan said, "At my poorest, I only had 49 yuan to my name."

Xie Yu: "Hmm?"

Lin Jianyuan: "It left a strong impression. It was December 1st, and payday was still three days away. I had it all planned out: 10 yuan for the subway to and from work, 30 yuan for three days, and the remaining 19 yuan for some steamed buns and pickles. I was sure I could survive those three days."

Xie Yu: "Then what happened?"

Lin Jianyuan: "Then my phone bill was automatically deducted 50 yuan at the start of the month, leaving me overdrawn."

Xie Yu's tone grew curious: "So how did you get through it? Did you borrow money from a coworker?"

Lin Jianyuan: "No. I went straight to the police station and told the officer I was starving, asking if they could help me get a meal."

Lin Jianyuan would always remember that bitterly cold winter night.

He had been working overtime as usual. Finally off work, he rushed to the subway station to catch the last train, only to find his transit pass wouldn’t scan.

After some checking, he realized it wasn’t a signal issue—his phone service had been suspended for non-payment.

In that moment, he was dumbfounded.

He didn’t have enough savings to pay the phone bill. He could have found a place with free Wi-Fi, connected, and used a credit service or borrowed a little from a coworker.

But as he watched the last subway train pull away, he walked out of the station and outside. The cold wind hit him, and suddenly he felt utterly defeated.

How had his life come to this?

He knew perfectly well that missing the subway was a small thing, a very, very small thing.

He also knew it was the straw that broke the camel’s back.

And the camel had collapsed without any resistance.

In that instant, he was helplessly swallowed by negative emotions.

...Fortunately, there was a police station right next to the subway entrance.

Since things were already this bad, he might as well forget about pride.

He threw caution to the wind, walked into the bright, spacious police station lobby, and explained his situation to the officer on duty. The officer bought him food on the spot.

That night, Lin Jianyuan not only devoured his meal but also took some to go—the officer lent him 200 yuan to pay his phone bill and take a taxi home.

In another country, he might have actually starved, but in China, that was impossible.

If you ask people on the street for money, you probably won’t get any. But if you say you’re starving and need something to eat, anyone will offer help.

Chinese people simply can’t bear to see others go hungry.

"That’s nice," Xie Yu said when he heard this. "So you’re comforting me by saying that even if I only have a few dozen yuan now, I can still live a good life in the future?"

"No," Lin Jianyuan said. "I’m telling you that if you have nothing to eat, you can just go to the police."

"." Xie Yu paused. "Can’t I come to you?"

Lin Jianyuan: "No, because I’m poor too."

Xie Yu looked at him for a moment and agreed, "Yeah, you're poor too."

Lin Jianyuan raised an eyebrow: "You don’t even have 70 yuan on you, and you’re calling me poor?"

Xie Yu smiled: "I don’t have anywhere to spend money, except for just buying a phone."

Lin Jianyuan looked at him, detecting no defensiveness in that smile.

Xie Yu just smiled calmly, as if it were nothing.

But then again, it made sense. Xie Yu was still a college student, and the better the university, the cheaper the tuition. Meals at the cafeteria weren’t expensive either.

Plus, Xie Yu was a guy and didn’t need to buy many clothes.

But he was also quite vain.

How did he manage to dress so stylishly and shine so brightly with so few clothes and shoes?

Well, it wasn’t contradictory. Guys his age, as long as they aren't too heavy or too short, with fair skin and a clean, tidy appearance, can look very handsome.

From their time together, Lin Jianyuan felt that Xie Yu was a guy who valued cleanliness and had few material desires.

He had no money but didn’t seem anxious. He probably did daily-wage gig work, saving up to buy a phone when he had enough, and readily admitted when he was broke without hesitation.

No awkwardness, no inferiority, no complaining about fate.

His personality was truly admirable.

In that moment, a thought suddenly crossed Lin Jianyuan’s mind:

If Xie Yu were a girl, he'd have been smitten.

The kind of girl who is gentle, emotionally stable. Who waits for you at home, cooks for you, keeps the place tidy, and doesn’t mind that you’re poor.

Take her to eat king crab, and she wouldn’t act uncomfortable about the cost; take her to a modest food stall, and she’d enjoy it just the same.

And she wasn’t picky about food. She enjoyed food so much that it made others' appetites improve too.

If there were a girl like that, he would really be attracted, feeling motivated to work hard and give her a better life.

Unfortunately, his roommate was a guy.

So Lin Jianyuan simply said, "Pay me back when you have the money," and then went to shower and sleep.

That night.

The crimson shadow appeared as expected.

As it seeped under the door, the digestive system hesitated briefly.

Then it carefully lifted the end of its own intestines to prevent them from slipping on the wet floor again.

Squeeze Toy: "."

Little Stone: "."

They didn’t dare to speak.

Only heaven knew how much they wanted to laugh when Lin Jianyuan mistook the intestines for a mop.

But they didn’t dare!

Really didn’t dare!

After all, that was an S-class mop—wait, S-class intestines!

It was clear the digestive system was also quite annoyed.

Chomp!

This time, when it bit down, the digestive system used a bit more force.

The skin on Lin Jianyuan’s throat immediately indented, leaving a neat row of tooth impressions.

Though there were marks, they were shallow.

It didn’t even break the skin—after letting go, not a single mark remained.

Squeeze Toy and Little Stone could only shake their heads at the sight.

Just then, Lin Jianyuan’s phone screen lit up in the darkness. All the anomalies were instantly drawn to it.

Squeeze Toy: "Another job?"

Little Stone: "More overtime?"

The digestive system whipped its intestines and smacked the two jinx-tempting objects away, then curled around Lin Jianyuan’s phone and lifted it closer.

The screen displayed: Your purchased [Nationally Subsidized xxx Sweeping and Mopping Robot with Self-Cleaning and Expanded Mop (3-installment interest-free option available)] has been shipped!

The digestive system: "..."

What’s with this mopping joke? Are you ever going to drop it?!

The esophagus swelled in anger. Just as the digestive system was about to toss the phone away, its wet mucosa accidentally brushed against something, and the product introduction video started playing automatically.

"The sweeping and mopping robot cleans every corner 360°, under the bed, along the walls—no more worrying about dust accumulating in unseen spots!"

"The self-cleaning function completely frees your hands. After cleaning the floor, the robot returns to its base for self-cleaning, and the mop is automatically dried. No need to worry about water stains left behind, and no need to dirty your hands…"

The night was deep. In the dimly lit bedroom of the rented apartment, the screen’s glow flickered across the digestive system’s mucosa.

Nearby, Lin Jianyuan slept soundly, his breathing even.

The two stress-relief toys, flung into the corner by the intestines, hardly dared to breathe.

They just watched as the digestive system held the phone and watched the ad. Over and over again.

Watched until the duodenum started tying itself in bows.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the city. In the S-class containment zone of the Administration’s underground city.

"Aaaaah, why?! Why on earth!"

The inspector, faced with a mess of mathematical models, hair a mess and face frantic, scratched his head madly as if he’d scratch himself bald.

The Delirium’s movement pattern he’d finally managed to summarize just two days ago—why had it changed again today!

Why did it suddenly head west at 9 p.m.!

Why did it head west for an hour and then suddenly bolt east!

So does Delirium actually just move randomly without any pattern?!

Then what was up with that stable "9 a.m. to N p.m." rhythmic pattern before!

Is there a pattern or not?!

Help, he’s going insane!!!

Why do people have to work! Why do we have to write reports!

Why analyze the movement patterns of a fucking idiot anomaly with no intelligence and calculate its *guīlǜ* function aaargh!

All was quiet, the deep night when humans rest and sleep.

For anomalies, it was the perfect time to act.

So, in another part of the city. Lin Jianyuan’s company.

In the pitch-black office, a certain printer suddenly lit up.

Amid the humming of machinery, sheet after sheet of white paper was swallowed, printed with text, then spat out from another outlet.

However, though the printer had been working for a while, the output tray remained empty.

A shadow covered the printer like a tight, fine black net, enveloping it completely.

Every time a sheet of paper was spat out, the next moment, a sound of gulping and chewing came from within the shadow.

"Mmm, tasty... not enough, still not enough..."

Basement.

The bloody sarcoma hanging like a giant heart in the center of the room suddenly jerked!

Countless blood vessels swelled with blood, the sarcoma contracted violently, and its engorged veins shot upward like siren’s tentacles!

—Only to be blocked by something flexible yet solid when they reached the ceiling, snapping back fiercely.

The sarcoma stilled, then roared furiously: "You moron! Let me out! Can’t you sense something’s coming? If you don’t let me out, our domain will be invaded! Let go now!"

But no matter how it cursed, the Eye Vine remained silent, merely tightening its vines. Firmly trapping it there.

The sarcoma: "..."

Damn it. Forgot one thing.

This Eye Vine has no intelligence!

Although it’s B-class now, it was promoted from C-class!

C-class anomalies not only don’t speak human language but also have no intelligence!

This Eye Vine is a moron that only knows how to bind and doesn’t understand human speech gaaaah!