Chapter 48: Backup Plan

Chapter 48: The Contingency Plan

Qi He was drawn in almost uncontrollably.

He replied, "Okay."

Putting away his communicator, he ascended to the sixth floor.

The entire sixth floor felt somewhat empty.

The newly built second training room was right next to the first. As Qi He walked down the corridor and passed the first training room, he suddenly noticed a sign added to its door:

"No entry for 3S level and above. ~Star^^"

"..."

Qi He sighed, "Once bitten, twice shy."

After saying this, he remembered that the system had already been left with You Tianxing, so he stopped complaining and headed next door.

The second training room had a brand-new, pure white door.

He swiped his ID card at the entrance.

*Beep!* The door slid open slowly.

A tall, straight figure was already standing inside. Yan Chuanbai, who had been facing sideways, turned to him. His long legs were clad in uniform trousers, and he had changed into a tight-fitting short-sleeved shirt with a tactical harness strapped across his chest.

He put on his gloves and smiled at Qi He.

His eyes seemed to hold a sharp, gleaming hook—razor-sharp and unmistakably aimed straight at Qi He’s heart.

"You’re here?"

Qi He’s heartbeat quickened as he stepped inside.

The pure white door closed behind him.

He picked up a tactical harness nearby, fastened it in a few quick moves, loaded his gun with one hand, and turned around sharply: "Let’s go."

Almost as soon as the words left his mouth—

*Swoosh!* The entire training room was covered in frost.

Yan Chuanbai’s expression changed in an instant.

His body surged forward like a pouncing leopard, firing a shot at Qi He—*Bang!* Qi He instinctively leaped to dodge, but his ankles were suddenly seized and pulled back—

"!"

Thick vines firmly bound his legs.

His feet slipped on the icy surface, and as his body swayed, Yan Chuanbai was already right in front of him. A palm struck at him mercilessly, and his heart rate spiked abruptly!

He turned his face aside, and the wind from the strike brushed past his hair.

Qi He’s eyes burned brightly as he moved forward.

He grabbed Yan Chuanbai’s arm and, while steadying himself, exerted a tremendous force—

*Thud!*

He flung Yan Chuanbai to the ground.

Pushing himself up on the ice, he looked up.

Just in time to meet Yan Chuanbai’s gaze as he slid back a distance, steadied himself, and looked over.

A surging fighting spirit swelled between the two.

Just as Qi He was about to take the initiative and charge forward, he was entangled by rapidly growing vines. A trace amount of toxin seeped into his skin, and under the extreme cold around him, his movements became unprecedentedly sluggish.

At that moment, with a "thud"!

Yan Chuanbai pounced on him, pinning him down.

His back hit the ice, and Qi He’s waist arched slightly as he grunted: "Hn…!" Yan Chuanbai’s solid body firmly pinned him down, restraining both his hands. His gravity and traction were limited by the vines, and his body was paralyzed.

This was the first time he had been at a disadvantage from the start.

Qi He looked up. Above him, Yan Chuanbai was smiling down at him with a faint look of provocation.

A surge of heat boiled in his lower abdomen.

Qi He suddenly smiled.

He gripped the fabric on Yan Chuanbai’s upper arm, and his legs wrapped around Yan Chuanbai’s waist like vines. Yan Chuanbai seemed to freeze for a moment, and Qi He took the opportunity to flip over.

*Thud*—he ended up straddling Yan Chuanbai, pressing down with indiscriminate gravity!

His lean wrists bulged with veins as he pressed down hard on Yan Chuanbai’s shoulders.

Under the gravity field, cracks appeared in the ice behind Yan Chuanbai. He couldn’t help but frown, letting out a low gasp, his fingertips digging into Qi He’s thighs as he looked up: "Qi He……"

A look of endurance surfaced between his sharp, cold eyebrows.

Qi He looked down from above, thoroughly excited.

-

Throughout the training room, the ice layer shattered.

Amid the swirling ice crystals, vines continued to emerge from all sorts of unexpected places, wrapping around.

Qi He’s movements were restricted, so he switched to rough remote control using "force."

Both of them were capable of close combat, long-range attacks, and manipulation, but in this situation, close combat was disadvantageous for him.

He dragged Yan Chuanbai around like this for 20 minutes using pushing force.

Suddenly, the figure on the other side stopped.

Qi He paused for a moment, then pulled out his gun and aimed at Yan Chuanbai—*Bang!*

Yan Chuanbai looked straight at him without dodging.

The bullet suddenly slowed down mid-air, as if entering a buffer zone, before being struck down by an ice spike.

Countless vines sprang up from the ground, in turn binding Qi He against the wall.

At the same time, Yan Chuanbai charged over.

The surrounding temperature plummeted rapidly, molecular kinetic energy slowed down, shattering the repulsion barrier Qi He had set up.

Qi He's eyes lit up for a moment.

—An astonishing tactic.

Yan Chuanbai's gaze deepened, as if after 20 minutes of exertion, he had finally been riled up, his psychic energy surging up, gradually pushing against its limits.

Qi He sensed it and hesitated briefly.

Should he let him approach or push him away now...

In the half-second he was weighing his options, vines suddenly covered his vision. *What the—?*

The next moment, a voice was right in front of him: "What are you thinking about?"

A sense of danger surged! Qi He blasted the vines away.

As his vision cleared, Yan Chuanbai was already right before him. The latter had wised up, using vines to bind the two of them together, preventing him from creating distance again.

Yan Chuanbai pinned Qi He against the wall and leaned in.

"Answer me."

Since he was already pinned down and unable to move anyway...

The other's psychic energy was going wild. After a moment's thought, Qi He said to him, "Switch to psychic energy confrontation. Don’t hold back—release it all toward me with full force."

Yan Chuanbai went still for a couple of seconds, lowering his gaze. "...Are you sure?"

A drop of sweat fell from Yan Chuanbai's temple onto Qi He's collar, leaving a damp mark.

Before Qi He could speak, Yan Chuanbai bent down.

As if barely restraining himself, he turned his head close to Qi He's ear. "Last time, I kissed you. You said not to hold back... So that means I can do it again?"

Qi He’s heart skipped a beat, his fingers curling slightly.

...Was it allowed?

Yan Chuanbai crowded closer, his hot breath fanning over Qi He’s ear, his hands pinning Qi He’s wrists as he whispered, "Qi He, you know my intentions toward you. Do you also let me do such things?"

Psychic energy brushed against the edges of his awareness, a tingling sensation spreading from his neck, a surge of emotion rising in his chest.

Qi He held his breath for two seconds, turning his head away. "No kissing on the lips."

In the next second, a hot, dry mouth sealed over the side of his neck.

Qi He shuddered at the sensation, his fingers interlaced as Yan Chuanbai’s hands slid between them, locking tightly. Yan Chuanbai pressed firmly against him, kissing him fiercely as his restrained psychic energy erupted violently!

Caught off guard, Qi He arched his neck. "Hn..."

It was beyond 4S.

His vision blurred for a moment, eyelashes casting shadows under the light as he mustered all his strength to resist Yan Chuanbai’s psychic assault—

But it still didn’t exceed his own limits.

He could fully withstand any loss of control in Yan Chuanbai’s psychic energy.

Qi He took a breath, lowering his gaze. "Continue."

The vines wrapped around him tightened abruptly!

Yan Chuanbai seemed to lock him firmly within his arms, all his instincts and talents unleashed freely upon him. Lingering kisses trailed down to his collarbone, where Yan Chuanbai gently bit down. "Qi He..."

Qi He steadied his mind, frowning slightly. "Don’t push your luck."

A low chuckle escaped against his neck.

Yan Chuanbai released him, burying his face in the crook of Qi He’s shoulder instead.

The vine’s toxins had nearly paralyzed his entire body, and this was no longer a battle of strength. Qi He ignored his physical state, shifting all his focus to psychic energy.

The vines suddenly retracted, and his body slid down along the wall.

*Thud*—he landed on the floor.

Yan Chuanbai immediately followed him down, one arm wrapping around Qi He’s waist. He no longer diverted his psychic energy to use his abilities, instead directing all of it toward Qi He.

His psychic energy was inferior to Qi He’s, but it was more aggressive, as if it knew only how to attack.

Qi He tilted his head back, frowning.

His neck was covered in a fine sheen of sweat, glistening under the fluorescent light.

Yan Chuanbai glanced up, saw it, and wiped it away with his palm before kissing the damp, cool skin.

Qi He gripped him tightly, closing his eyes.

After what felt like a long time, he felt Yan Chuanbai’s psychic energy recede like a tide. Then, a light pat, and a slightly hoarse voice spoke, "Get up."

A pause, then after a few seconds, Yan Chuanbai slowly pulled back.

Kneeling before him, Yan Chuanbai’s T-shirt was soaked through with sweat. He pushed back his damp hair, revealing sharp, wild eyes that still held a startling intensity.

Qi He took a few seconds to recover, then stood up.

He felt his entire neck burning and pressed a hand to it before saying, "Your psychic energy is beyond 4S level."

Yan Chuanbai: "..."

After a moment of silence, he couldn’t help but laugh. "Yeah."

Yan Chuanbai’s fingers twitched, and Qi He realized the other was still loosely holding his hand. "But only around you."

Qi He thought for a few seconds, then said earnestly, "I think zombies are your greatest enemy."

Yan Chuanbai’s lips curved slightly as he stood. "I know."

Both of them rose—the training session was over.

The training room had survived, barely.

As the door opened and they walked out one after the other, Yan Chuanbai suddenly stopped and turned back. "By the way."

He looked at Qi He, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "You knew what I would do, yet you allowed it. Can I take that to mean... you don’t dislike it when I kiss you?"

Qi He’s thoughts stuttered for a beat. That was...

"Is it just for training?"

Yan Chuanbai seemed to know his thoughts, taking over the conversation before Qi He could think it through. Without giving him time to think, Yan Chuanbai continued, "What if it were—" He abruptly cut himself off, swallowing a name he disliked.

Yan Chuanbai searched his mind, landed on a blond Zhou Ziqian and a good-natured Zhu Gedun, then smoothly said, "...Zhou Ziqian or Zhu Gedun?"

Qi He thought of those two for a moment before instantly rejecting the idea: "That wouldn’t work."

The corner of Yan Chuanbai's mouth lifted. "Right?"

It was quiet for a moment outside the training room door.

Watching Qi He’s thoughtful brow, Yan Chuanbai suddenly spoke again, "Even though I have no right to say this, I still want to say—I don’t want you practicing like this with anyone else."

He placed a hand on the side of Qi He’s neck, where a faint redness hadn't faded. Yan Chuanbai’s eyes deepened as he said, "Only I can kiss you."

Though his words were assertive, his touch remained gentle.

Qi He felt Yan Chuanbai’s fingers brush lightly against his skin before withdrawing. Then, looking at him half-joking, half-serious, Yan Chuanbai added, "—That’s what I think, anyway."

With that, he turned and walked away.

His figure gradually disappeared down the hallway.

Qi He looked away and touched the side of his own neck—it was still warm.

-

Over the next two days, they had missions and training classes.

Yan Chuanbai also had military business to attend to, so the two didn’t schedule another match. The words exchanged that day seemed to be left behind in the empty corridor outside the training room.

Occasional encounters or they exchanged messages, but Yan Chuanbai’s attitude remained as usual.

Qi He only occasionally recalled that scene.

Two days later, You Tianxing sent a message: 『Your Xiao Tiancai Watch is ready. Coming to pick it up? ~Star』

Qi He immediately headed to the lab to find You Tianxing.

The door opened to reveal You Tianxing sitting inside, smiling warmly.

"You’re here~"

As he spoke, an initial voice without bubbles suddenly echoed in Qi He’s mind: "Qi He! You—! You!!!!"

Qi He walked over, lifted the system, and said to You Tianxing, "It works exactly as expected. Thank you for your hard work."

The smooth sphere rested in his palm, with a plug on top and two loops on the sides, like a sprouting plant. The system felt deceived and protested loudly:

"You said it would be the handsomest in the world!"

Qi He touched its sprouts and replied, "It looks like me—isn’t that the handsomest?"

"..."

"How does it look like you?!" The system cried out, "I look like a Ram!"

Nearby, You Tianxing glanced over in surprise. "Is it just me, or does it seem to radiate new brilliance when it’s in your hands?"

Qi He avoided the question and instead asked, "How long can it last on a single charge?"

"At least ten years," You Tianxing said with a smile. "I’ve already replaced the energy source, so it can be replenished anytime."

The system stopped wailing—it came back to life.

Qi He touched its smooth shell, thanked You Tianxing, and headed back to the tall building.

...

Back in his apartment, Qi He sat on the sofa.

The system was placed on the table, sneaking a look at him. "When we have the resources later, you have to get me a more awesome shell."

Qi He agreed casually, "Sure, sure."

The system was quickly comforted.

Qi He tapped its shell and slightly narrowed his eyes. "Since you have enough energy now, bring up your panel again. Let me take a look."

*Beep!* The panel appeared, and the black code was gone.

Qi He looked at it for two seconds. "Show me all the scripts you’ve given me. I want to see the full versions."

The system also wanted to see and quickly pulled them up.

The next moment, page after page of scripts appeared in the panel:

『In a small rented room, Yan Chuanbai breaks down the door... but you waste precious food.』

『In the end, you sneak out of bed... and reach out with guilty hands to steal canned goods from his bag.』

『...It’s my fault you’re in this situation.』

『You brazenly borrow his bathroom to take a hot shower... then take off your white shirt and stand in front of Yan Chuanbai, tempting him.』

『You remember every detail of the past, leading him to reminisce.』

『You ask another Class S Superpowered to protect you.』

『...I don’t need anything from you. Can you just stay with me?』

『You go to another base, start a new life... but when faced with a horde of zombies, you push Yan Chuanbai into them.』

『Thanks to your efforts, you quickly gain access to the higher-ups of F City... even if you die, you’ll drag your teammates down with you!』

『At the critical moment, you turn against him... claiming he infected you. In the end, you finally meet your end.』

...

All ten plot points were displayed.

Qi He’s gaze remained fixed on the screen. The system glanced back and forth. "What are you looking at?"

Qi He sighed softly. "My journey here..."

The system sneered, "He, you never came that way."

"......"

It glanced at the script again, then closed the panel. "What a shitty script. Screw it, forget it."

Qi He suddenly spoke up, "Wait."

Ever since being dropped into this world, his perspective had been fixated on these "storylines," and based on them, he had been planning step by step.

He had even naturally accepted the "setting" of the apocalyptic world.

So much so that he had never looked forward.

Qi He said, "System, bring up the main storyline script again."

The System: "?"

Since when do we have a main storyline script?

It leaned in: "He, have you forgotten that we only have our own script, not a god's-eye view main storyline script? Even Yan Chuanbai's 'ending' was deduced by you."

Qi He paused, remembering, "Oh, did I forget to mention that?"

"...What?"

His eyes gleamed: "Back when I programmed the virus into you, I also included a data theft program."

Author's Note:

Qi He: Occupational hazard - I want to claim everything I see as mine.

Yan Chuanbai: Look at me. (To be collected)