Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Hu Yue sat in the back seat, weaving a floral wreath for Baby Octopus from carefully selected flowers and plants she had gathered. Today, she had finally worked up the courage to ride in the car with Chen Zui and Ren Feng. Though slightly nervous, the young girl couldn’t resist the chance to play with Baby Octopus—and secretly indulge her fangirl fantasies up close.

Yet ever since they’d set off, the two men hadn’t spoken much. Hu Yue wondered if her presence was making things awkward.

Just as the thought crossed her mind, Chen Zui broke the silence: "How old are you?"

Hu Yue glanced toward Ren Feng. They were sitting diagonally across from each other, and her eyes instinctively landed on his chest—it was impressively broad, practically embodying the ideal of a strong, nurturing male figure.

If this were a novel or comic, she would’ve whispered: I’d give it a suck.

Hehehe.

But this was real life—she absolutely did *not* have such thoughts. She only wished she could be lucky enough to witness Chen Zui doing some sucking. Then she’d be the happiest girl alive~

As a mischievous smile tugged at her lips, she noticed Ren Feng looking straight at her. Suddenly flustered, she felt caught red-handed, unsure why he had turned his attention to her just then.

Did I say that out loud?

Ren Feng observed the girl’s shifting expressions and her silence, then calmly explained: "Chen Zui is asking how old you are."

Hu Yue: …

Is it too late to find a hole and bury myself?

She stammered, "E-eighteen."

Such a vibrant, youthful age. In a normal world, she’d probably be a college freshman, full of new experiences and hope for the future. Instead, she was living through displacement and chaos.

Chen Zui said, "Only eighteen and already facing a world like this… you’re truly impressive."

The girl’s combat record along the way had been remarkable—she never hesitated to act, and after awakening her powers, her strength was outstanding. Definitely mercenary material. With a few years of training, she could lead missions herself.

Chen Zui deeply admired Hu Yue.

Flustered by the praise, Hu Yue didn’t want the spotlight on her any longer. Curious, she asked, "How long have you two been dating?"

There was something unusual about them. At times, they gave off the vibe of a long-married couple; at others, their fleeting glances carried the shyness of a fresh romance, still wrapped in ambiguity.

Despite having consumed countless novels and dramas, she couldn’t quite place which stage they were in.

Ren Feng fell silent, leaving Chen Zui to handle the explanation. After all, the man was a smooth talker, capable of lying without blinking. He trusted Chen Zui to spin a believable story.

Chen Zui steered one-handed, the veins on the back of his hand standing out with quiet strength. As the car smoothly turned a corner, he lowered his eyes and said, "We haven’t been together long—only about a month before the monsters appeared. But our families are neighbors, so we’ve known each other since childhood."

Hu Yue: Case solved!

That explains the married-couple energy. Who knew they were childhood friends?

Childhood sweethearts turning into lovers—how sweet.

"Who made the first move?" Though Hu Yue had read countless stories and listened to endless audio dramas, Chen Zui and Ren Feng were the first same-sex couple she’d ever met in real life.

Chen Zui and Ren Feng exchanged a silent glance. Just as Chen Zui opened his mouth, Ren Feng spoke first: "It was me."

Ao Tian: "Huh? Why did he suddenly speak up?"

Chen Zui: "In people’s minds, it’s usually the guy who confesses and pursues. By saying that, he’s claiming the dominant role in our relationship."

Ao Tian: "Ah, masculine pride."

After this remark, Ao Tian checked Ren Feng’s favorability level toward Chen Zui. He hadn’t planned to check—but the result stunned him: "Wow, his favorability is at 62%! Only 8% short of the mission’s 70% requirement!"

At that moment, Ao Tian swelled with pride for its host. Even without knowing the mission, even bound to the Transmigration Bureau’s flawed system, he had brought the task this far.

Any system would have to admit: Impressive!

He just had to brag to his system peers later~

It seemed their time in this world wouldn’t last much longer.

Chen Zui hadn’t expected Ren Feng’s favorability to be this high. He summed it up in two words: a closet romantic.

Hu Yue finished the floral wreath. Baby Octopus had known it was for him all along and had been waiting patiently beside her. Sitting at the edge of the seat, he held one tentacle to his mouth. It wasn’t that he wanted to eat himself—it looked like he’d been bitten by a mosquito last night, and the tip of that tentacle was itching.

With no hands to scratch, he could only bring the tentacle to his mouth and nibble gently to soothe the itch.

The little guy was completely absorbed.

Hu Yue gasped and quickly pulled the tentacle away: "Ah! Baby Octopus is so greedy, he’s eating himself!"

Baby Octopus opened his small mouth, his round, dark, glistening eyes staring innocently at Hu Yue.

Ren Feng immediately turned around, looking sternly into Baby Octopus’s open mouth: "Don’t eat yourself. No matter how greedy you are, it’s not allowed." He wagged a finger, fully aware that Baby Octopus understood every word.

Baby Octopus: ?

Somehow, in their eyes, he’d become a glutton.

Chen Zui, trapped in Baby Octopus’s body, let out a soft sigh, his face warming. Maintaining this form meant enduring constant misunderstandings like this.

Ren Feng pulled out a piece of candy he’d been saving: "Eat this instead."

Now labeled a glutton, Baby Octopus gave him the cold shoulder. He turned his head away, crossing two tentacles under his chin like arms folded in defiance.

Ren Feng smiled fondly.

He reached over and lifted Baby Octopus from the seat. The little one simply turned his head further, refusing to look, eventually even closing his eyes.

Ren Feng noticed the plump, slightly swollen tip of the bitten tentacle and gently picked it up for inspection. On the pink, tender end, he spotted a tiny raised bump—thankfully, his sharp eyes caught it.

He touched it lightly, and Baby Octopus’s eyelids twitched.

Ren Feng: "It’s just a mosquito bite."

Hu Yue leaned in to see: "So Baby Octopus was just itchy?"

They exchanged a glance, then burst into laughter at how adorable it was. The poor thing couldn’t speak and had no way to relieve the itch except by nibbling with his mouth—only to be scolded for being greedy.

Talk about injustice.

Hu Yue quickly placed the finished floral wreath on Baby Octopus’s head to make amends.

Adorned with the flower crown, Baby Octopus looked like a little prince from the ocean depths—adorable, with a touch of delicate elegance.

Ren Feng gently scratched the bite on Baby Octopus’s tentacle. Finally comfortable, Baby Octopus opened his eyes and stared at the tentacle.

Ren Feng watched the little octopus, who had rarely shown such a mischievous side, and stopped scratching for him. The baby octopus waited for a moment before lifting his head to look at Ren Feng. Seeing the amusement in Ren Feng's eyes, his little mouth turned down in a pout.

The baby octopus wrapped a tentacle around one of Ren Feng's fingers and guided it back and forth over the bite mark where he had been bitten.

Such a clever little thing.

Ao Tian: "Just thinking that this baby octopus is also you, I..."

It never expected its host to have such an adorable side. In its eyes, Chen Zui had always been badass and overwhelmingly cool. So, seeing the baby octopus like this—especially while Chen Zui’s human form was also present—made Ao Tian feel rather conflicted.

Chen Zui belatedly realized that this system had partnered with him across several worlds. Letting it see him as a baby octopus meant he had probably lost all face and dignity.

His handsome face flushed red.

"Ah!"

"Let her go!"

A shout came from up ahead. Everyone in the car immediately grew alert and serious. As the vehicle turned a corner, they saw a man and a woman being attacked by two monsters.

The woman was in the most danger—already pinned to the ground, moments away from having her heart torn out. The man, eyes wide with fury, tried to rush to her but was blocked by the other monster.

A life-or-death situation.

A water blast and several wind blades shot toward the monster attacking the woman. First, it was thrown back by the water blast, then sliced into several pieces by the wind blades before hitting the ground. The other monster soon met the same fate.

Without stopping to relish their survival, the man scrambled over to the woman, and the two embraced, weeping.

Hu Yue: "They're injured."

Chen Zui stopped the car and got out with the baby octopus. Ren Feng and Hu Yue also stepped out, scanning the surroundings vigilantly, while Gao Qiang and Hu Xue waited inside the vehicle.

The man and woman looked at Chen Zui and the others, thanking them repeatedly, nearly to the point of kowtowing.

The woman was more seriously injured, with her knee bone exposed.

The baby octopus, resting in Chen Zui's palm, extended a tentacle toward the woman.

The woman let out a frightened scream. The man quickly moved to shield her, standing protectively in front. Both were on high alert.

Hu Yue: "Don’t be afraid. The baby octopus isn’t a monster. He can heal your injuries."

The man and woman still seemed doubtful, their expressions wary.

The woman whispered something in the man’s ear: "They just saved us. Why would they harm us now?"

The man thought it over and agreed.

He slowly moved aside but kept his eyes fixed on the baby octopus, the knife in his hand still tightly gripped.

The extended tentacle of the baby octopus thickened somewhat, its suckers fully covering the woman’s knee. She felt something cool and smooth seep into her wound, alleviating the pain.

After a moment, a tingling numbness set in. The whole process was painless.

In about two minutes, the baby octopus retracted his tentacle.

The woman’s knee was completely healed—not even a scar remained. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she gingerly touched her knee.

The man asked eagerly, "How does it feel?"

The woman shook her head. "It doesn’t hurt at all."

They both looked at it in disbelief, then bowed repeatedly in thanks to Chen Zui and the others.

After accepting their thanks, Chen Zui and the group prepared to get back in the car and continue their journey.

Seeing this, the couple tentatively asked if they could come along.

—

The two vehicles drove off, leaving the man and woman behind.

Though a bit disappointed, the couple quickly rallied. They understood—they had no abilities or supplies to offer and would only be a burden.

It was already lucky enough that the group had saved them once.

They continued on their way, trudging onward with their heads down.

Hu Xue gazed out the window at the passing scenery. They had helped many people along the way, but when it came to selecting companions for the journey, she had her own criteria. First and foremost, they had to possess combat capability. After the emergence of superpowers, this had become even easier to determine.

She wasn’t running a charity. An extra person meant another mouth to feed, and if that person was weak, it also meant shouldering the responsibility of protecting them.

Hu Xue: "Do you think I’m too cold-hearted?"

Gao Qiang, who was driving, glanced at her. "Of course not. I think you’re brilliant."

Hu Xue had chosen Gao Qiang not only because he was good-looking, well-built, and knew how to sweet-talk, but also because he always provided her with plenty of emotional support.

Gao Qiang: "Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You’re doing great. Our team has made it this far entirely because of your leadership."

Hu Xue closed her eyes to rest. "Don’t think sweet talk will get you promoted to a permanent position."

Gao Qiang smiled sweetly. "It’s alright. I believe my time will come."

—

Another full day was spent on the road. As dusk approached, Chen Zui and the others reached the outskirts of a small town. But the scene before them was nothing like what they had encountered so far.

There were many people there, going through registration at the entrance.

They parked the car and observed. Two people noticed them and walked over. These two seemed full of energy and vitality, their clothes relatively clean, and their strides purposeful as they approached.

"Are you heading north to the base?" Kang Haiqing asked while peering into the vehicle, his gaze lingering a little longer on the baby octopus.

Chen Zui: "Yes. Mind telling us what’s happening here?"

Kang Haiqing: "Do you know that many people have awakened superpowers now?"

Chen Zui nodded.

Kang Haiqing pointed to the red cloth band wrapped around his arm. "Since you know, it’ll be simpler to explain. Those who have awakened superpowers have gathered here and made this place a base. We shelter survivors from nearby or those passing through. We’re planning to mount a counteroffensive against the monsters."

He raised his palm, and a swirl of floating sand and dirt levitated above it. "This is my superpower. Heading north, there's no telling how many would die on the way? And we don’t even know the actual situation at the northern base. Rather than taking that risk, it’s better to stay here. If we all work together, one day we’ll surely link up and unite with organizations all over the world."

He spoke with sincerity, full of hope and confidence in what he described. "How many are in your group? How many have awakened as superhumans?"

Chen Zui didn’t answer immediately.

Kang Haiqing chuckled warmly. "No worries. It’s getting dark—you can stay here tonight and check the place out. If you still want to head north tomorrow, we won’t stand in your way."

He pointed towards the entrance: "Just go there to register. Let's go."

He and his companion then went off to handle other tasks. Chen Zui and the group gathered together and saw someone flying in from afar, creating a gust of wind while carrying two injured people under his arms. Kang Haiqing immediately rushed over to help.

The entranceway cleared.

Ren Feng said: "He seems to have Wind Superpower."

He glanced at Hu Yue, who understood his meaning. A new way to use her powers occurred to her—she should also be able to control the wind and fly like that person!

Hu Xue suggested: "Should we stay in the car tonight to observe the situation?"

Everyone agreed.

No one came to force them to leave, so they parked the car somewhere out of the way. The night was far from quiet—wave after wave of Superhumans returned from outside, some carrying bags of all sizes, others bringing along people without superpowers.

It was incredibly busy. Even Gao Qiang remarked: "Superhumans here are practically like workhorses. Is this 'with great power comes great responsibility'?"

However, it seemed they were truly dedicated to saving people and trying to change the world.

Perhaps the commotion attracted monsters, drawing one to the area. But this small monster clearly came to the wrong place—the moment it showed up, the night watch spotted it, and a huge fireball shot toward it, briefly illuminating the night.

Ren Feng watched as the falling fireball was doused by a water sphere and kept watch all night: "There are at least forty Superhumans here."

Chen Zui grabbed the map from the car and found where they were. The small town was surrounded by cities, with fields in between. Having Water Superpower users among the Superhumans meant they could supply water for all. With water available, survival was more or less assured. Using this town as a center, they could expand outward, claim land, attract more survivors and Superhumans, station some Superhumans for defense, and farm the land for food.

It had to be said, this indeed seemed hopeful.

As long as there were enough Superhumans.

As long as the leaders genuinely aimed for humanity's survival.

They all met in one car before daybreak. Hu Xue looked at each of them: "What does everyone think?"

Ren Feng: "There are at least forty Superhumans gathered here, and we don’t know how many regular humans there are. The town appears intact from the outside. Last night, the Superhumans who returned from outside didn’t head back out—it seems they aren’t out fighting monsters and saving people around the clock."

Gao Qiang sniffed: "You guys smell that?"

Everyone instinctively sniffed the air—it was the aroma of hot meals, wafting from the town.

Gao Qiang and Hu Yue swallowed nervously.

Hu Yue: "But if we join, we’ll have to do as they say. From then on, we’d probably spend our days going out to fight monsters and save people until we die or the monsters completely disappear."

Even as she said this, everyone had long been aware of this reality. Superpowers or not, even when they initially planned to go to the northern base, they knew they would have to follow orders and work. No one would simply support them there while they lazed around waiting to die.

It was only a matter of where.

They exchanged looks. Hu Xue then asked Chen Zui for his opinion.

Chen Zui: "We can give it a try. If anything goes wrong, I can fling you out with my tentacles."

With him as their backup, everyone felt more at ease. However, there was still the issue of Chen Zui’s superpower. They had seen many Superhumans here the previous night, but so far, none had animal transformations.

It was hard to guarantee that they wouldn’t think Chen Zui is a monster.

Chen Zui: "Let’s just say I don’t have any superpowers for now."

After some thought, they decided it wasn’t necessary to show all their cards right away. Hu Yue would also temporarily hide the fact that she had awakened her superpower. If everything seemed fine, they could later fake her awakening.

Once decided, they drove to the entrance, registered, and were taken into town.

Kang Haiqing, who was patrolling the streets, saw them and walked over with a smile: "You’ve come."

As if they were old friends.

While smiling and responding, everyone observed the town. Many people were busy repairing houses on the streets, each fully engaged and filled with energy, creating a sense of hope.

Many greeted Kang Haiqing, suggesting this young man was quite popular.

Kang Haiqing: "Don’t feel any pressure. Stay here for a few days first. If you decide to remain, I’ll take you to meet the boss."

He patted the shoulder of their guide, Xiao Liu: "Arrange things well, try to put them together."

"Don’t worry, Brother Kang."

Xiao Liu was also very enthusiastic and arranged for them to stay in the same residential building: "For now, there aren’t too many people, so everyone can have their own room. Later, when more people come… well, it might not be necessary—we’ll expand our territory too."

He seemed only about fourteen or fifteen years old, bouncing along cheerfully as he walked.

Hopeful young people always lift everyone’s spirits.

They settled into the building, cleaned up together, with the little octopus supervising.

—

Exhausted after a long day, everyone ate a communal meal and rested early.

Chen Zui and Ren Feng were still awake.

Chen Zui: "Are you sure you want to see?"

Ren Feng: "Yes."

Chen Zui: "It’s big."

Ren Feng: "...Mind the house."

Chen Zui: "Alright."

Chen Zui stood in front of Ren Feng, grabbed the hem of his shirt with one hand, and pulled it upward. His abs and chest muscles came into Ren Feng’s view one by one. Undressing with one hand was indeed exceptionally cool.

Chen Zui casually tossed his shirt toward Ren Feng. The moment it landed on his face, Ren Feng caught the scent of rose fragrance and, almost instinctively, closed his eyes and took a deep, intoxicated breath.

He opened his eyes again as the shirt slid down, pretending nothing had happened.

Shirtless, Chen Zui grabbed his belt. The lines of muscle in his arms, the veins extending upward from below the belt, combined with his expression—

Wild and alluring.

This was a blatant seduction.

"Click." The sound of the belt buckle opening made Ren Feng’s heart tremble. His fingers curled unconsciously as he watched Chen Zui slowly pull out the belt, fold it in half, and produce a suggestive snap.

He couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to be struck by it.

Ren Feng never considered himself to have any peculiar fetishes, but at this moment, the thought crossed his mind, and because of it, he felt an urge stirring.

Chen Zui tossed the belt aside as well.

Chin held high, he began unbuttoning.

Ren Feng didn’t understand—wasn’t it just about turning into a giant octopus for him to see? Why did this feel so suggestive?

"...You, just take it off properly."

Chen Zui stepped closer, grabbed his hand, and placed it on his own chest. "If you don’t like how I’m taking it off, you do it."

The tension was building.

Ren Feng turned his head away, thinking that if he did it himself, it’d be quicker and lessen the awkwardness.

So he gritted his teeth and yanked sharply.

"Smack."

He was hit in the face—not by a slap, but by something else...

Ren Feng froze. After hitting his face, that thing didn’t pull back. Instead, it stayed pressed against his skin, giving off warmth and a rose fragrance, like the most enticing delicacy in the world, making his mouth salivate.

Chen Zui watched the man’s shifting expressions.

Surprised, the other had his mouth slightly open. If he nudged it just slightly, moved just a bit...

"You know, this can also turn into a tentacle."

Ren Feng’s pupils dilated silently. Shocked, he turned his head. With that movement, the rose scent was right at his lips. If he just stuck out his tongue, he could taste the rose dew.