“Why?”
Shen Wang was never a person who kept things to himself. If he had any questions, he would definitely try to find the answer.
He continued to bully Zhou Xiangzhe, he grabbed his wrist with all his strength and leaned toward his neck, the latter didn’t even avoid him. And Zhou Xiangzhe couldn’t see so he didn’t realize that Shen Wang wasn’t as he imagined: โcontaminated by Blood Thornโs seedsโ
“Why do people with high pollution think you are a pollutant?”
Shen Wang sniffed the increasingly strong fragrance on Zhou Xiangzhe, and thought that it wasn’t just a matter of “feeling”.
Whenever he got sick in the most inappropriate moment because he never bothered to be defensive towards Zhou Xiangzhe. Who would worry about the Guardian of humanity hurting them? This is why Shen Wang was fooled, it was Zhou Xiangzheโs fault if he got sick again and is in great pain.
โYou won’t convince me if you don’t tell me the truthโ
Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a few seconds. He seemed to be thinking about something. Just when Shen Wang started to feel irritated, he finally spoke.
He said, “Because my ability is [Swallow].”
This was the first time Shen Wang got to know about Zhou Xiangzhe’s ability.
Zhou Xiangzhe’s information is in a top-level confidential file, which can only be found after reaching a certain level. This level is quite high. In other words, the Pollution Control Center determined this as an important secret.
Swallow? Shen Wang had not even seen this name in the ability list.
“[Swallow] is only for pollution, itโs the ability to swallow and digest pollution.” Zhou Xiangzhe said, “You can think of it as me being able to swallow pollutants that are weaker than me.”
Shen Wang looked at him strangely, “Since you have this ability, why are you affected by blindness here?”
“Because this ability has lost its function.” Zhou Xiangzhe answered him calmly.
Three years ago, the most terrible pollution incident in history broke out in Yutang South City.
That is: the city-wide pollution incident caused by the S-level pollutant [Deer God].
Since the end of the world, China has built five High Walls cities, and the surviving lived humans inside the walls. The five High Walls are named [Cangqing East City], [Chenmo West City], [Yutang South City], [Hantian North City], and [Central City].
Due to the need for psychological comfort, a new sect was born in Yutang South City after the end of the world.
The sect believes in [Deer God], advocates nature, and believes that the pollution during the end of the world is caused by human beings being too disrespectful of nature. This sect developed rapidly inside the situ.ย
At first, the Pollution Control Center did not care. There are many new beliefs created after the end of the world. Most of them are based on divine punishment due to inexplicable natural disasters or man-made disasters. As long as they don’t do unnecessary things and become a cult, the Pollution Center won’t intervene in the investigation.
Unexpectedly, this carelessness has led to a huge disaster.
The S-level pollutant [Deer God] was a pollutant created by faith. After the birth of [Deer God], it continued to pollute others through faith.
The day of Deer Godโs birth was also the start of a disaster in Yutang South City. The whole city was polluted overnight. They believed in the [Deer God] madly and devoutly, and regarded it as their master. The spread of pollution was so rapid that it was difficult to handle.
So Zhou Xiangzhe was ordered to take on this task.
In order to protect the people in the city who were controlled, Zhou Xiangzhe gave up on head-on confrontation with the [Deer God] and used the most dangerous method.
He used his ability [Swallow] to completely swallow the S-level pollutant [Deer God].ย
Zhou Xiangzhe succeeded. He successfully swallowed the [Deer God] and saved the entire South City, but he also paid a very high price.
“I can’t digest this pollutant.”
Zhou Xiangzhe said: “The moment I swallowed it, my pollution level soared to 90%. I have to always wear a pollution suppressor to suppress it to 80%. My appearance also changed because of it. This is a sign that I am polluted.”
“Because I can’t digest it, my ability has lost its original function and I can’t swallow any other pollutant.”
“That’s why you’re feeling that I’m a pollutant. You’re feeling the [Deer God] in my body.”
Zhou Xiangzhe seemed to be looking at Shen Wang. His pupils reflected Shen Wang’s figure, but Shen Wang knew he couldn’t see him.
Silver hair, golden eyes, pollution suppressor rings on fingers, and the increasingly strong incense scent that only comes from praying to gods and Buddhas… Shen Wang finally understood why Zhou Xiangzhe was called the Guardian of Central City, and finally understood why the Pollution Control Center dared to let Zhou Xiangzhe outside even though they knew that his pollution level exceeded 80%.
Because this guy with a cold appearance is actually a holy father who can sacrifice himself.
He even thought: Zhou Xiangzhe would definitely kill him if he found that his pollution level was going to exceed the standard.
Someone with Shen Wangโs personality would definitely think that Zhou Xiangzhe is really stupid or even mentally ill for sacrificing himself to save others.
However, Shen Wang had a friend who was exactly like this.
Little Seven from Galaxy Orphanage was the best child Shen Wang had ever seen, the most inseparable part of Shen Wang’s childhood, and Shen Wang’s entire definition of a “kind person”.
He had no way of saying harsh words to such a person.
“You saved a lot of people.” Finally, Shen Wang said: “Youโre still standing here after killing all those S-level pollutants. You are worthy of being Zhou Xiangzhe.”
Zhou Xiangzhe stretched out his hand and touched Shen Wang’s arm blindly. Because he couldn’t see, he could only touch up inch by inch.
He was looking for the parasitic thorns of Blood Thorn on Shen Wang’s body.
Shen Wang silently retracted the thorns on his body, his pupils turned black again, and the thorns in the corridor of the hospital also disappeared. The entire hospital returned to its original dead silence.
“I’m fine.” Shen Wang said.
Zhou Xiangzhe didn’t believe it, and he continued to look for possible parasitic thorns.
Shen Wang let him check his whole body, only then Zhou Xiangzhe believed that there were no parasites on him.
“It disappeared.”
“Yes, it disappeared.” Shen Wang answered him, “Maybe it’s because of my ability. The level of parasitic thorns is not high, itโs also within the range of my ability, so it escaped from me.”
Thanks to the Pollution Control Center for giving him such a good excuse!
Now that he is a C-level mutant, he can use this talent to make things up, and it will be even more real when he becomes a B-level or A-level!
Zhou Xiangzhe slowly breathed a sigh of relief, he stretched out his hand and hugged Shen Wang. Just like a comrade-in-arms hugging each other after surviving a disaster, well, this is what Shen Wang thought.
A rich fragrance emanated from Zhou Xiangzhe’s body– Shen Wang was so close to Zhou Xiangzhe’s exposed skin that he even felt that he could hear the sound of blood flowing in Zhou Xiangzhe’s veins.
It’s terrible.
“Are you really okay?” Zhou Xiangzhe loosened the hug and asked him again.
“Iโm okay.” Shen Wang answered seriously, and then swallowed silently.
He was still very hungry, but no, Zhou Xiangzhe couldn’t be eaten.
Shen Wang tried to stand up, but because of the onset of illness, he couldn’t stand steadily at all. His legs softened and almost fell to the ground. It was Zhou Xiangzhe who listened to his breath pattern and picked him up.
“Don’t separate.” Zhou Xiangzhe sighed, “Letโs stay in the same place and take care of each other.”
One is blind and the other is sick… This is the only way.
Shen Wang wanted to refuse, he felt that he would be unable to resist biting Zhou Xiangzhe.
“Oh, right.” Shen Wang remembered something and thought that maybe it would make Zhou Xiangzhe leave him temporarily. “I received a call from Lily, but I haven’t had time to tell you yet.”
Sure enough, Zhou Xiangzhe looked up, “What did she say?”
“Lily can empathize with pollutants, and it is easier to explore the rules in this situation. We have to leave here as soon as possible.”
Shen Wang told Zhou Xiangzhe what Lily told him.
“ใDrawing Realityใ? Clearing the painting in the form of art?” Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a while before commenting, “This statement is indeed very artistic.”
It was completely incomprehensible. Lily and ใHundred Eyesใ became confused after empathizing with each other.
“I think we should first determine the theme of this painting.” Shen Wang was anxious to get Zhou Xiangzhe away, so he suggested, “We need to determine what is painted in the painting and every detail to determine the theme of this painting, and then find a way to use this painting. Should we separate to determine it?”
Zhou Xiangzhe was puzzled, “Why should we separate?”
“Because I can see that you can’t. Blindness should have a special setting in it. Then the two of us can compare the things we have determined together, so it is easier to find the differences.”
Zhou Xiangzhe seemed to be convinced, but he was silent for a few seconds and found a rebuttal.
“If it’s just to find the difference, then we can do it together.”
“This is not a special point that requires us to act separately.”
Shen Wang:… Why is this person so stubborn?
In the end, he still failed to get Zhou Xiangzhe away, because Zhou Xiangzhe thought it was a very irrational action for them to separate now. If they stayed in the ward, they had to stay together, and if they went out, they had to go out together.
Shen Wang sat on the bed expressionlessly, holding his chin and looking at the door of the ward. Zhou Xiangzhe sat on a small seat not far away. The adult sitting on it looked a little aggrieved, but he didn’t care. He just kept his head down, and his long silver hair drooped down.
In fact, compared to Shen Wang, Zhou Xiangzhe now looks more fragile in appearance. The white hair and golden eyes give him an inhuman beauty, and once this beauty is missing, it will appear more attractive.
Coincidentally, Zhou Xiangzhe can’t see now, so he has a gives a sense of fragility.
But he is Zhou Xiangzhe, even if he can’t see, no one dares to look down on him.
Shen Wang silently sighed in his heart and turned his head.
Once heโs extremely hungry, he will no longer feel the hunger, which is equivalent to being numb to hunger.
Shen Wang is in such a state now. After being so hungry that he wants to vomit, he gradually calms down.
If he can eat, heโll eat. If he can’t eat, forget it. He had endured it often in the past.
The more he thought about it, the worse Shen Wang felt. He saw the scene in the corridor through the small glass in the ward. The paintings composed of black messy lines on the wall became clearer and clearer, and more similar to them. The eyes of the crafts next to the paintings kept staring at Shen Wang, as if a camera that never stopped was monitoring them.
Shen Wang thought angrily: These eyeballs are so ugly.
Just then, ding dong, the door of the ward was knocked.
“Room check.”
It was the doctor who had driven them out next door before.
The doctor in a white coat opened the door with a creak, and stared at Zhou Xiangzhe the moment he entered the door.
“What are you doing? I told you that the hospital has rules! Every patient must go back to his own ward! Who allowed you to visit others!”
As the Guardian of Central City, Zhou Xiangzhe, to whom no one dared to say harsh words face to face, said: …
“Go back to your ward!”
Shen Wang took advantage of Zhou Xiangzhe’s inability to see and gave a thumbs up to the doctor who was courting death.
Zhou Xiangzhe stood up. He looked quite calm and didn’t seem to be angry at all. He even asked in a calm tone: “Doctor, will you come to my ward to check after you check this room?”
“Who allowed you to ask about the doctor’s privacy! If you want to be hospitalized here, you must listen to the doctor. If I say go, you go. If I say no, you don’t go!”
“This hospital has the best eye treatment! As long as you are in this hospital, all blind people can regain their sight, including you!”
“If you want to see again, you must listen to me!”
The hospital can restore the sight of all blind people. Blindness…
The two people present instantly understood the reason why they were blind inside this domain.
Shen Wang raised his eyebrows slightly. He glanced at what the doctor was holding and reminded Zhou Xiangzhe, “He took two medical records and will probably go in your ward after a while.”
“Shut up!” The doctor stared at Shen Wang fiercely, “I didn’t allow you to speak!”
Zhou Xiangzhe nodded, and he said to the doctor a sentence that was not threatening at all, but the sense of threat was almost overflowing.
He said: “I’ll wait for the doctor to come to my ward.”
Shen Wang automatically lit a candle for him in his heart: After the rounds, youโll see what happens if you provoke an S-level mutant.
But Zhou Xiangzhe left anyway, leaving only Shen Wang and the uninvited doctor in the ward.
The doctor opened the medical record in his hand, pretending to read it, but his eyes kept peeking at Shen Wang.
Finally he asked, “What’s wrong with your eyes?”
Shen Wang smiled, “If I knew there was something wrong with my eyes, why would I come to this hospital for hospitalization?”
“I think your eyes are very good.” The doctor closed the medical record, “Very beautiful eyes, as if alive, Iโve never seen such beautiful eyes, deep black eyes like gems, no, it is more dazzling than gems! No one will not like such eyes!”
The doctor looked at Shen Wang’s eyes almost obsessively.
Finally he coughed as if he had over-reacted, “Anyway, your surgery is scheduled for two o’clock in the afternoon, and there is still half an hour, remember to wait for me in the ward.”
“Such beautiful eyes can’t be damaged, we will do our best to keep them intact!”
Shen Wang smiled a half-smile1, with a hint of sarcasm in the depths of his eyes.
“Thank you so much, doctor.”
Surgery? I’m afraid it’s not an eye removal surgery.
/
In the end Zhou Xiangzhe didn’t kill the pollutant. They knew too little about this place so it’s not a good thing to break rules too early.
Of course, the previous presence of the Blood Thorn has been completely ignored by Zhou Xiangzhe.
The doctor left with a high profile holding the patientโs files. Shen Wang stood at the door of the ward. At this time, Zhou Xiangzhe also fumbled to open the door of the ward and walked out.
“How is it?” Shen Wang asked him.
“The surgery is at 2:30 pm, and there is less than an hour left.”
“What a coincidence, mine is at 2 o’clock, half an hour earlier than you.”
Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a few seconds, “Performing an operation in half an hour? This is impossible.”
“Of course it’s impossible, this is not a real hospital, and we are not really blind.” Shen Wang said in a subtle tone, “This is in the painting of the A-level pollutant [Hundred Eyes]. The hospital is fake, the medic pollutant is a puppet, and a hospital that can restore vision to all blind people canโt impossibly exist.”
“This hospital has a lot to do with Hundred Eyes, and it is very likely that this is a hospital imagined by Hundred Eyes herself.”
Zhou Xiangzhe thought for a while, “According to Lily’s words, Hundred Eyes lost her eyes in a car accident and could no longer paint, so would she paint such a painting after becoming a pollutant? “
“Actually, I’ve been curious for a long time.” Shen Wang looked at Zhou Xiangzhe, “Your knowledge of Hundred Eyes is so scarce? How did you get her story?”
“[Hundred Eyes] is the signature of the painting. The data of the old era was too severely damaged. We did not find the information of the painter who signed Hundred Eyes. As for this story, it was a detailed plot that Lily, who came here in advance, came up with after Empathy. Lily’s ability also works in intelligence gathering.”
Zhou Xiangzhe explained, “So Lily was assigned here this time, just to prevent panic due to lack of information in case of an accident.”
For humans, panic is not a good thing. It will only make the pollution spread more rapidly and severely.
The existence of Lily is like a placebo, telling everyone that they still have a chance. As long as Lily is with them, they can get new data.
But the problem is that: they know nothing about Hundred Eyes.
A-level pollutant [Hundred Eyes], the initial site was discovered by the dispatcher not long ago, but there was no gallery in this place before. If there was, they would never ignore it. Although itโs closer to a laboratory of the Academy of Sciences, itโs also in the corner area of โโthe Central City.
A little closer to the border of Central City.
How could they be so careless to ignore a A-level pollutant.
This can only mean one thing: this gallery was moved here shortly ago.
“I understand.” Shen Wang narrowed his eyes slightly, he exhaled, and his right hand was still pressing on his stomach. He was still hungry, especially when he was in the same space as Zhou Xiangzhe.
“Now we have fifteen minutes to discuss whether to go to this so-called operation room for surgery.”
Logically, they should go. After all, they have walked through all the corners of this hospital corridor. There is nothing here, except some dull low-level pollutants, which can’t even provide Shen Wang much energy, because they are just paintings that have come to life.
Zhou Xiangzhe also understands this.
He thought for a few seconds, “Are you okay now?”
“Yeah.” Shen Wang replied lazily.
No, I’m almost starving, and you’re still dangling in front of me!
Zhou Xiangzhe was calculating the danger of letting Shen Wang act alone.
A C-level mutant close to B-level is not able to face an A-level pollutant. But the innate ability of [Fear Intimidation] can save his life at a critical moment.
During the onset period, as someone who knows Shen Wang very well, Zhou Xiangzhe also got the hospital’s records of his symptoms when searching Shen Wang. He knew that although Shen Wang was weaker and got tired more easily than normal people during his onset period, he can get extremely aggressive and can exert stronger power than mutants. That time even the Academy of Sciences noticed him.
But because of his excessive aggressiveness during the onset period and Lan’s betrayal at that time, the Academy of Sciences temporarily gave up human research, which prevented him from being contacted by the Academy of Sciences.
In general: Shen Wang is very strong, even being in the onset period is not completely disadvantageous for him.
But… is it really okay?
“Captain, have you been thinking about this for too long?” Shen Wang suddenly asked, “Do you care so much about your other team members too?”
Of course not.
Zhou Xiangzhe lowered his eyes slightly.
The dispatch team is the strongest force for human exploration of the outside world. They represent the future of mankind and how far people can go in the future. Therefore, the dispatch team recruits the bravest, most righteous and strongest mutants.
If it wasn’t Shen Wang standing here, he would never hesitate, even if this person was Ming Guang.
“Don’t you want to fight side by side with me?” Shen Wang asked again.
Going to Polaris is something Shen Wang has done after much consideration, but going to Polaris just to be a logistics person who can’t go to the front line, then what’s the point? If he goes near pollutants, he can’t pick up leaks at all. It’s better to go to an ordinary dispatch team to eat small low-level pollutants.
At least he can eat.
So Shen Wang continued to ask Zhou Xiangzhe, “Why did you personally invite me to join Polaris?”
For protection, for the indelible marks in my heart, for the Galaxy Orphanage, and for his childhood friend who he had been looking for for so many years.
For his Little Fifteen.
But Zhou Xiangzhe couldn’t say these, he just sighed softly.
“Go.” Zhou Xiangzhe said: “Of course I invited you to Polaris because I want to fight side by side with you. I value you very much.”
“So be careful.”
Shen Wang smiled, his voice was full of youthful levity and vitality. He was only one year younger than Zhou Xiangzhe, but it seemed that the vitality that Zhou Xiangzhe had long lost still survived in him.
He said: Of course, I cherish my life the most.
Regardless of whether this sentence is true or false, everyone is able to say nice words anyway, and likeways people like to hear nice words.
Finally reaching a consensus with Zhou Xiangzhe, Shen Wang waited for a while and saw the doctor coming. The doctor who came was still the one who made rounds, but this time he brought along four nurses. The nurses pushed a single trolley, and each nurse stared at his face stiffly.
The trolley was stained with black and red bloodstains, and there were also traces of scratches. Looking at it, one can completely imagine what terrible experience the person lying on it had encountered.
However, everyone who entered this painting was blind, probably no one except Shen Wang could see it.
The doctor patted the guardrail of the bed, “Lay here, it’s your turn to have surgery.”
Shen Wang looked at the bed with some disdain, “Can I not lay there? I can walk to the operating room by myself.”
“What are you talking about? How can you go to the operating room by yourself if you can’t see!” The doctor immediately became impatient, “Lay down quickly, don’t waste our time!”
Okay.
Shen Wang thought calmly: In the three years outside the high wall, he didn’t know how many places he had walked through, and how many dirty places he had been to. Now he has just to lie on a bed where he didn’t know how many people had died.
…No, I still hate it.
After making sure that he really had to lie on this thing, Shen Wang reached out and pulled off the bed sheet stained with black and red blood and threw it on the ground. Then he pulled down the bed sheet from his own bed and spread it on top. Now Shen Wang was finally satisfied. As soon as he lay on it, he felt the bed being pushed away.
Four nurses pushed the bed at the four corners, and soon the bed was pushed to the end of the corridor. At the end of the corridor, an elevator appeared, and the doctor pressed the elevator button.
“You are so lucky, you just happened to come here when we received new eyes.” The doctor muttered while waiting for the elevator door to open.
“Eyes are not so easy to save. Do you know the girl in the ward next to you? She has been living in the ward for a year and has not had her eyes replaced yet. But you just got here but already can have new eyes! After the new pair of eyes, youโll be able see.”
“The cure rate of our hospital is 100%!”
The elevator door opened, and Shen Wang was pushed into the elevator. He consciously looked out.
Sure enough, Zhou Xiangzhe was standing not far away in the corridor.
He stood quietly. Because of his blindness, there was no color in his eyes. His taciturn appearance seemed to take away all the sharpness in him. Shen Wang saw his clenched hands, and the rings on his fingers were slightly white. He seemed very worried.
But why is he so worried?
Sometimes Shen Wang thought that Zhou Xiangzhe was too nice. Is he like this to everyone?
But Mingguang said that Zhou Xiangzhe had no friends. Everyone was afraid of him. Everyone didn’t even dare to say more than a few words to him.
Shen Wang thought: If Zhou Xiangzhe is like this, how does he have no friends?
It seems that he doesnโt know enough about Zhou Xiangzhe.
TLs: this chapter has twice the numbers of chinese character so if you felt that it feels like a longer reading experience, well it is in fact a longer chapter ehe
Leave a Reply