Chapter 74: Into a Post-Apocalyptic Superpower Novel, Day 26

Chapter 74: Day 26 in the Doomsday Superpower Novel

It all happened in a flash.

The force yanked Ji Zishi back several steps, and he stumbled before barely managing to steady himself.

He stood there, still shaken, staring at the quickly freezing puddle of filth and the terrifying chill it left behind. His heart was pounding in his throat.

He whipped his head around to look at An Yi, who was standing on higher ground.

An Yi was slowly lowering his raised hand, his face seeming a shade paler than before, but his eyes remained as calm as still water, as if he had just casually swatted a fly.

He didn't even look at Ji Zishi, his gaze still coolly sweeping across the battlefield, searching for the next target to eliminate.

He stood there, scanning the battlefield from above, an invisible barrier seeming to surround him, shutting out the smoke and stench of blood.

Under the flickering light of the fire and energy blasts below, the usually delicate lines of his face hardened into a cold, sculpted mask, stripped of any human warmth.

The surrounding noise, explosions, and screams seemed to fade into a blurry background, leaving only a chilling vacuum around him.

Ji Zishi's lips trembled. An Yi...

An Yi...

There was a deeper, more essential sense of transcendence and indifference—as if he wasn’t a participant, but a god or some higher being who’d happened to stop by and coldly judge the desperate struggles of chess pieces on a board. It gave off a dehumanized quality that was awe-inspiring and terrifying, making it hard to even look at him.

Was this just an illusion from the battle?

The deafening explosions and howls gradually faded, leaving a dead silence and the thick stench of blood and burning in the air.

An Yi tore the last massive, maddened flying mutant into pieces, scattering them over the scorched earth.

For now, the battle was won.

Inside and outside the battered defense line, grotesque mutant remains lay everywhere.

The survivors helped each other, collapsed to the ground, or leaned against broken walls, gasping silently, their faces showing extreme fatigue, numbness, and a dazed relief at having survived.

Ji Zishi stood with difficulty, leaning on a bent gun.

His heart was pounding.

He dragged his injured leg, stumbling and pushing aside debris in his way, his eyes locked onto the handsome figure standing slightly higher, surveying the battlefield.

"An Yi!" His voice was hoarse, mixed with uneven breaths, as he quickly came before An Yi.

An Yi frowned slightly, turned his head to look at him, and upon seeing his state, said, "Are you hurt badly? The medical team will be here soon..."

"What you said earlier!" Ji Zishi interrupted him eagerly, his eyes wide and bright, staring at An Yi, not missing a single flicker of expression.

"You said we'd be together after the fight! Right? I didn't mishear you, did I? You weren't just trying to make me feel better because you thought I was dying, were you?"

An Yi looked at his anxious, foolish expression, and the concern in his eyes turned into helplessness as he sighed softly, "I never joke about stuff like that."

"Then it's true?" Ji Zishi seemed either not to hear or too afraid to believe, pressing stubbornly, "You really agreed? It's not an illusion? Not a dream? The explosion didn't mess up my head, did it?"

An Yi: "...It's true."

"So now we're together? You're mine? No... I'm yours, right?" Ji Zishi shook his arm like a big dog eager for confirmation, unaware that his wound was bleeding from the motion.

"Mm," An Yi responded, trying to pull his hand free to check his injury.

But Ji Zishi held on tighter, as if letting go would make the person in front of him disappear, still muttering, "You won't back out, will you? Really won't? Even if someone more capable or prettier comes along, you won't regret it, right? You..."

His endless, anxious, ecstatic babbling abruptly stopped.

Because An Yi suddenly stood on tiptoe, leaned in, and cut him off with a very brief but unmistakable kiss.

The touch was cool, carrying a hint of blood and fire, yet incredibly soft, like a snowflake landing on a burning heart, melting instantly but leaving a shiver that could turn the world upside down.

Ji Zishi's voice, thoughts, and movements all froze in that moment.

His eyes widened, and his pupils clearly reflected An Yi's calm face so close.

The whole world seemed to hit mute, leaving only the thumping of his wildly pounding heart echoing in his eardrums.

An Yi pulled back after the brief contact, taking a half step back. He looked at the completely petrified Ji Zishi, who had even forgotten to breathe. A barely perceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he said, teasingly, "Now do you believe me? Can you be quiet for a minute?"

Ji Zishi remained frozen, like a statue that had abruptly short-circuited.

After a few seconds, he gasped sharply, as if rebooting, his cheeks, ears, and neck turning red visibly, almost steaming.

"You... I... You kissed me?!" He stammered, his fingers trembling as he pointed at his own lips and then at An Yi, his usually cheerful eyes now holding only bewildered joy and confusion.

An Yi, seeing his clumsy, almost sputtering reaction, finally let out a low laugh. He shook his head and, ignoring this obviously short-circuited guy, turned to walk toward the injured who needed help.

It was only after An Yi had taken a few steps that Ji Zishi seemed to snap out of his shock.

He suddenly covered his mouth, then lowered his hand, looking at An Yi's back, and his face broke into a silly yet radiant smile.

He limped after An Yi on his injured leg, his voice full of unprecedented, overflowing joy.

He kept muttering behind An Yi, "You kissed me! You agreed! An Yi! Wait for me! When I'm better, I... I want to kiss you back! No! I want to kiss you back right now!"

An Yi, walking ahead, didn't turn around, but the faint smile at the corner of his mouth lingered for a long time: "You? Better go treat your injury now. If you go lame, I'll dump you!"

Ji Zishi: ...

He didn't dare move a muscle.