Chapter 35

Zhou Xiangzhe’s treatment in S District was progressing smoothly, at least his contamination level was continuously decreasing, and it was entirely possible to reduce it back to 80 within a week.

During this period, Shen Wang visited him every day, and after seeing him, he would wander around outside. Unfortunately, the Central City was heavily guarded, and pollutants were largely kept away from the lives of the people inside the high walls. In the end, apart from the “Night Wanderer,” only another D-level pollutant was captured.

Shen Wang calmly hung the two paintings in his room, giving off a vibe of ‘unique taste.’

Today Zhou Xiangzhe would to leave the S District and he wanted to go visit him. Before he could set off, the doorbell rang.

Doorbell?

Generally, no one would come to his house, except for Zhou Xiangzhe and Lan. But Zhou Xiangzhe was in S District, and Lan wouldn’t ring the doorbell; he would just teleport into the house.

Shen Wang went to open the door and saw Ming Guang and an odd man standing at the entrance.

“Good morning,” Ming Guang greeted Shen Wang, “Sorry to disturb you… What’s that sound?”

“It’s the music inside; I didn’t turn it off,” Shen Wang leaned against the door frame, looking at the visitors without any surprise, appearing overly relaxed.

When Shen Wang joined Polaris, Ming Guang had investigated him. He couldn’t just let someone into Polaris based on Zhou Xiangzhe’s personal feelings. From the investigation, his impression of Shen Wang was: someone with an extremely strong mental state.

His youthful experiences had forged his strong composure. He was fearless in the face of events, remained calm in handling situations, and was difficult to shake no matter what he encountered.

So when he learned that Shen Wang had updated his ability to “Pollution Immunity,” he thought it was just as it should be.

The facts proved that: Zhou Xiangzhe had a good eye, and Ming Guang’s judgment was not wrong.

Shen Wang’s spirit was extremely strong and stable, making him very suitable to be a member of the dispatch team.

At this moment, unaware that he was being praised by Ming Guang in his heart, Shen Wang asked, “Does the deputy leader need something? If it’s a team issue, you could’ve sent me a message. Why come here in person?”

Ming Guang snapped back to reality, smiled, and said, “Because this time it’s not just me who has something for you, he also has something for you.”

He pointed to the strange man behind him, and Shen Wang shifted his gaze over.

It was a rather burly man, nearly two meters tall, wearing the dispatch team’s combat suit, his chest muscles bulging against the suit, with a buzz cut and a scar across the bridge of his nose. He nodded expressionlessly at Shen Wang.

Surprisingly, he also wore the emblem of the Polaris on his chest, but Shen Wang hadn’t seen him at the last meeting.

Ming Guang, being attentive, immediately explained upon seeing Shen Wang’s confusion.

“Our Polaris is divided into three teams. The team led by Zhou Xiangzhe is the middle team, handling all tasks inside and outside the city, with relatively high freedom of deployment; the first team specializes in operations outside the city and almost never returns; the second team targets pollution sources, dealing with pollution sources above C-level.”

As he spoke, Ming Guang introduced the man, “His name is Qiang Li’an, a member of our second team.”

“Hello,” Qiang Li’an extended his hand to Shen Wang, “Nice to meet you, I hope we have the opportunity to cooperate in the future.”

Shen Wang looked at him strangely but did not refuse to shake his hand.

So the Polaris wasn’t just those few people; there were a large number of them outside the city, which made sense for the scale of the central city’s strongest team.

Bringing the two into the house, Shen Wang found two paper cups and poured water for them. He didn’t turn off the music, letting it continue to play.

A woman’s voice sang, the melody twisting and turning, heart-wrenching for love, which seemed a bit out of place with the current situation.

“So what’s the matter?”

“Zhou Xiangzhe can leave S District this afternoon, but I’m very worried about him. Using his ability puts a great burden on him,” Ming Guang said, “If possible, I hope you can help keep an eye on him, make sure he doesn’t use his ability during missions.”

“Why?”

Shen Wang looked at Ming Guang with some confusion, “Not to mention he’s the captain and I’m just a team member, why do you think I can keep an eye on him?”

“Am I someone special to him?”

Ming Guang was silent.

…Although it was true, he couldn’t say it, damn Zhou Xiangzhe who always causing him trouble!

Shen Wang didn’t want to let him off, so he continued in an even more innocent and puzzled tone, “Deputy leader, you’re his friend, right?”

You already know the answer but are hiding it from me, right? Then let’s pretend I don’t know anything, see how you answer.

Shen Wang perfectly ignored his original identity issue.

Ming Guang found it hard to answer, and just as Shen Wang was about to mischievously repeat the question, the burly man beside him suddenly spoke.

“Because he likes you!”

Shen Wang and Ming Guang both turned to look at him.

Shen Wang/Ming Guang: …?

As if realizing he had spoken out of turn, Qiang Li’an slowly covered his mouth and shifted his butt to the side.

Ming Guang was silent for a moment, then said, “Spreading rumors about the captain, he will teach you a lesson. I told you to speak less when meeting people.”

“But really, it seems just like that,” as if breaking through a mask, Qiang Li’an instantly dropped his act, the nearly two-meter-tall man looking pitiful.

“I’ve been in the Polaris for so long and have never seen the captain care so much about someone, waiting every day in S District for this teammate to visit him, while we get scolded for visiting once.”

“What is this if not love?!”

Seeing Ming Guang’s utterly speechless expression, Shen Wang asked a few more questions and learned what kind of person Qiang Li’an was.

An A-level mutant, second in command of the second team, a second-generation elite of Central City, his father’s one of the city’s managers, his mother a researcher at the Academy of Sciences, who died in an accident in the early days of the apocalypse, leading to Qiang Li’an’s rebellious streak from a young age. After awakening his ability, he went behind his father’s back to join Polaris’s recruitment and was actually selected.

It made his father furious.

As a manager’s child, he was a bit overdeveloped, growing into a burly and fierce-looking man.

Yet, such a person was gay, and a bottom, who loved pre-apocalypse romance stories. When out exploring, while Zhou Xiangzhe collected music, he looked for various romance novels, then cried over them late at night.

He also had a keen eye for spotting ‘bromance,’ and upon returning to the Central City for a mission, he was convinced that Zhou Xiangzhe and Shen Wang were definitely having something going on!

Ming Guang had repeatedly emphasized before coming not to mention these things in front of Shen Wang, but he still let it slip.

Shen Wang curiously asked Qiang Li’an, “You say it’s love, so is it me loving Zhou Xiangzhe or Zhou Xiangzhe loving me?”

“See!” Qiang Li’an pointed at Shen Wang and said to Ming Guang, “He doesn’t even call him captain, but by his name!”

Ming Guang: …

He repeated what he had said earlier, hoping Shen Wang could help keep an eye on Zhou Xiangzhe to prevent him from overusing his ability. Then, he immediately bid farewell and left Shen Wang’s house, instructing Qiang Li’an to properly explain the purpose of his visit and not to bring up irrelevant topics.

After leaving, Ming Guang let out a long sigh.

“I really can’t stand him.”

Ming Guang went to S District. In truth, Ming Guang didn’t go there often either. With Zhou Xiangzhe absent, he had to act as the acting captain and handle a mountain of work. To be honest, Zhou Xiangzhe preferred peace and quiet and wasn’t particularly keen on seeing him. 

It seemed just as Qiang Li’an had said—Zhou Xiangzhe only looked forward to Shen Wang’s visits.

When Ming Guang arrived at S District, Zhou Xiangzhe had just finished his final check-up. His contamination level had dropped to 80%, and according to the standards specific to Zhou Xiangzhe, he was free to leave.

Seeing Ming Guang arrive, Zhou Xiangzhe adjusted the suppressor on his wrist and asked, “How’s everything?”

“Not good, even downright bad,” Ming Guang sighed. “The remedial measures haven’t worked, and it’s all up to the second team to hold the line. We’ve reached our limit.”

“Understood,” Zhou Xiangzhe said.

Ming Guang watched Zhou Xiangzhe for a moment before speaking again. “This time, Shen Wang will also be going.”

Zhou Xiangzhe paused in adjusting his suppressor and looked at Ming Guang. “Why?”

“Because his ability is ‘Pollution Immunity.’ He’s not like us; he won’t be contaminated,” Ming Guang explained. “Don’t keep treating him like an ordinary person who needs protection. He’s a powerful mutant who can protect others. You need to accept this reality.”

“I’m not refusing to accept it,” Zhou Xiangzhe tugged at the hem of his clothes, smoothing them out, as if giving himself something to do.

He said, “But that doesn’t mean I won’t worry.”

“You actually worry about someone this much…”

Ming Guang sighed and shook his head.

Zhou Xiangzhe’s special regard for Shen Wang was something Ming Guang had known about even before meeting Shen Wang.

As an S-level mutant, Zhou Xiangzhe had almost no personal time. He had spent his early years outside the city clearing pollutants, only returning after the world had stabilized. From the day he returned, he had been searching for Shen Wang, day after day, year after year. When he finally found him, Shen Wang had gone missing in the hospital.

That was the most sorrowful expression Ming Guang had ever seen on Zhou Xiangzhe since they became teammates.

Now that Shen Wang had been found, it was only natural for Zhou Xiangzhe to feel protective of him.

As Ming Guang pondered this, he recalled what Qiang Li’an had said and mulled it over for a while.

Surely the word ‘special’ didn’t have to be tied to romantic feelings, right?

“Hey,” Ming Guang called out to Zhou Xiangzhe curiously, “Do you like Shen Wang?”

Zhou Xiangzhe looked up at him, held his gaze for three seconds, then looked away and thought for a moment. “Yes, I like him.”

“I mean that kind of liking, not the kind between friends… Oh, what am I saying? I’ve really been infected by Qiang Li’an.”

Unexpectedly, Zhou Xiangzhe continued to look at him seriously and only spoke after Ming Guang finished.

“I know.”

Ming Guang was stunned.

Huh? You know?? What do you know?!

Do you know I meant ‘that kind of liking,’ or do you know I’ve been infected by Qiang Li’an?!

You damn…!

…

Ming Guang left, but Qiang Li’an stayed behind. It was only after Ming Guang left that Qiang Li’an finally explained the purpose of his visit.

As a member of the second team, his mission was, of course, related to pollution sources.

Shen Wang also knew that his ostensibly ‘Pollution Immunity’ ability was incredibly useful in certain situations—so useful that after he updated his ability, many dispatch teams lamented, marveling at how Zhou Xiangzhe always seemed to spot talent so accurately. How had he managed to snatch Shen Wang up so early?

“Don’t take what I said earlier to heart,” Qiang Li’an coughed. “Here’s the thing: I only found out after returning to the central city that Polaris had recruited a mutant with the ‘Pollution Immunity’ ability. So, I asked the deputy leader to bring me here. I have a very urgent mission and hope you can help.”

“A pollution source?”

“Yes, a pollution source.”

Qiang Li’an nodded. “If it weren’t so urgent, we would never have sent someone back to Central City.”

“The pollution source is expanding for unknown reasons. All previous containment measures have failed. The staff stationed at the edges have been completely powerless, and even nearby residential areas have been affected by the pollution. We’re doing our best to handle it, but the results are poor. Our technical team believes the issue might lie within the pollution source itself.”

“So you need someone who can enter the pollution source?” Shen Wang looked at him.

“Exactly,” Qiang Li’an nodded. “If it were an ordinary pollution source, it wouldn’t have come to this, but this place…”

Shen Wang listened to him. “What kind of pollution source is it?”

“An S-level pollution source,” Qiang Li’an said. “Have you heard of the horrifying S-level pollution source outbreak over a decade ago?”

Shen Wang’s eyes widened slightly.

Of course, he had heard of it. In fact, if he hadn’t been in the hospital at the time, he would’ve experienced it himself!

“Where are you talking about?”

“The S-level pollution source that suddenly erupted over a decade ago,” Qiang Li’an repeated. 

“Beneath what was once called the Galacy Orphanage.”

“Now, over a decade later, the S-level pollution source is expanding uncontrollably for no reason. Our containment measures have completely failed. The pollution has spread and contaminated many people. We need to deal with it as soon as possible. Right now, we can only ask someone who can enter the pollution source to determine the situation inside.”

Shen Wang closed his eyes, remaining silent for a few seconds before opening them again.

“Tell me more.”

“The incident happened a week ago. The second team has always been very cautious with the S-level pollution source. Every day, a team member would be stationed at the edge. That day, it was an old-timer from our team. He’s meticulous and always reliable. That night, he sent the ‘all clear’ signal at the designated time.”

“But the next day, we received numerous reports from residents over 3 kilometers away, all claiming to have seen pollutants.”

At that point, Qiang Li’an knew that something was wrong. He immediately ordered staff to investigate the residential areas while frantically calling the old team member.

When the calls couldn’t get through, he kept trying. He rushed to the area with his team while continuing to call.

Finally, the call was answered, but the voice on the other end was that of a child.

A soft, sweet girl’s voice said, “Hello, uncle. I found this phone, but I haven’t seen the owner.”

Qiang Li’an quickly hung up, but the contamination level in the vehicle instantly spiked by 20, confirming to everyone present that the girl who answered the phone was undoubtedly a pollutant.

They didn’t reach the edge of the pollution source because, three kilometers away, they discovered facilities that should only exist within the pollution source. After multiple tests, they finally confirmed: the pollution source had expanded.

If it were an ordinary pollution source, no one would be so anxious or concerned. They could just re-establish containment and move the surrounding residents further away.

But this was a terrifying S-level pollution source! One of the world’s deadliest top ten pollution sources!

“We’ve exhausted all methods but haven’t been able to stop the pollution source’s expansion. It’s spreading outward by a hundred meters every day, completely unstoppable. But we absolutely cannot let it continue to expand.”

The expansion of an S-level pollution source is tantamount to a death sentence for humanity. 

After all, it’s an S-level pollution source. Apart from S-level mutants and specific individuals like Shen Wang with ‘Pollution Immunity,’ no one can withstand the contamination. They can only mutate into monsters.

Shen Wang sighed. “Will Zhou Xiangzhe be going too?”

“Yes, not just the captain, but another S-level mutant will also be providing support. This matter is too urgent.”

“Of course, it is an S-level pollution source after all. We won’t let you take the risk of entering the pollution source. The pollution around the source is spreading very quickly, and with the pollution source’s boundaries unclear, we’re asking for your help to deal with the pollution more efficiently.”

Qiang Li’an added as if explaining, “The internal issues of the pollution source will be left to the S-level mutants.”

After all, it’s an S-level pollution source. No one can guarantee what would happen to an A-level mutant who enters, even if Shen Wang has ‘Pollution Immunity.’

They can’t take that risk, nor can they afford to lose Shen Wang, the only one with ‘Pollution Immunity.’

“I understand,” Shen Wang said. “Call me when it’s time to set out.”

Qiang Li’an breathed a sigh of relief, patted his chest, and stood up to say goodbye to Shen Wang.

As he reached the door, he suddenly said, “I wish you and the captain happiness!”

He was still steadfast in his belief that Zhou Xiangzhe and Shen Wang were involved.

“You’d better wait until we come back before wishing us happiness,” Shen Wang said expressionlessly. “If something happens to either of us, it’ll be because you jinxed us before we even set out.”

Qiang Li’an: ???

He left, heartbroken.

The captain’s partner is really scary.

After closing the door, Shen Wang returned to the sofa and sat down. The music was still playing, though he didn’t know how many songs had passed. Now, it was a children’s song, a girl’s sweet, clear voice singing about a cute teddy bear, singing “My little bear, my friend.”

Shen Wang thought: In that case, it can’t be hidden anymore, can it?

Zhou Xiangzhe is Xiao Qi, and Shen Wang is Xiao Shiwu.

That S-level pollution source, feared by everyone, was once their home, their childhood paradise.

Perhaps not just him, but even Zhou Xiangzhe never imagined they would return there one day.

Revisiting the past? What a hellish joke.

Shen Wang pulled out his phone from his pocket, intending to check if it was time for Zhou Xiangzhe to come out, but instead saw a new message.

It was from Zhou Xiangzhe, saying he had already left S District early and not to make a wasted trip.

“He’s already left,” Shen Wang looked at the phone screen. “With something this big happening, he should at least wait for me.”

“Hmm…”

Shen Wang thought for a moment.

He seemed to know where Zhou Xiangzhe would go after leaving.

So he stood up, reached out to turn off the cheerful children’s song, and casually grabbed a coat from the rack. After putting it on, he realized it was white.

Oh well.

Shen Wang thought: Let’s consider it as if matching outfits with Zhou Xiangzhe. After all, they often wore the same clothes back at the orphanage.

/

This was the dedicated cemetery for the fallen members of the dispatch team. The cemetery was vast, with rows upon rows of tombstones as far as the eye could see. All the Central City’s fallen staff from the past thirty years of the apocalypse were buried here.

Zhou Xiangzhe placed a bouquet of flowers in front of Lily’s grave. It was a bunch of white flowers, sharing the same name as Lily, emitting a delicate fragrance in the cool morning air.

He hadn’t been able to attend Lily’s funeral while in S District, so he could only make up for it now with this bouquet.

He sighed softly, turned, and left the cemetery. As he walked out, he opened the player on his communicator.

A girl’s voice reached his ears.

“Hello, uncle. I found this phone, but I haven’t seen the owner.”

This was the automatic recording from Qiang Li’an’s phone. After returning to Central City, Qiang Li’an had given the recording to Zhou Xiangzhe.

Zhou Xiangzhe had an excellent memory. Since childhood, the orphanage director had praised him as a smart child with a photographic memory. Even after so many years, he could still remember the faces and voices of every child from the orphanage.

The moment he heard the recording, Zhou Xiangzhe recalled the blurry face of a little girl.

She was two years younger than Zhou Xiangzhe, Xiao Er Shi Jiu. Her wish was to have a pink princess dress and to eat candy every day. She envied Xiao Shiwu for being able to bring an umbrella back for Xiao Qi  from outside. Back then, having something that belonged solely to you was incredibly enticing.

The little girl also wanted an umbrella, but she was afraid of Xiao Shiwu, so she could only tug on Xiao Qi’s sleeve and whine.

Unfortunately, Zhou Xiangzhe didn’t help her because he also wanted to be the only child in the orphanage with an umbrella.

Looking back now, they all had their childish sides as kids. He wasn’t as selfless as he had imagined either. At the very least, he didn’t want to share the things Xiao Shiwu gave him with anyone else.

After listening to the recording again, Zhou Xiangzhe walked out of the cemetery. It was then that he caught a glimpse of a white hem. When he looked up, he saw Shen Wang standing at the entrance of the cemetery.

Shen Wang was rarely seen wearing a white jacket, which made his already gentle and harmless appearance seem even brighter.

“I knew you’d be here,” Shen Wang said. “Congratulations on leaving S District.”

Zhou Xiangzhe met his gaze for a few seconds before nodding. “Thank you.”

“I’m happy for you.”

They left the cemetery together. Zhou Xiangzhe was still wearing a simple white combat suit, his usual attire within the central city. It had a good fit and met his standards for clothing. Shen Wang, on the other hand, rarely wore white, so it was a surprise to see him in it today.

Walking side by side, they stood out quite a bit, almost like… a couple wearing matching outfits?

They strolled into a small, deserted park and wandered around.

By unspoken agreement, neither of them brought up the S-level pollution source, as if they both didn’t know what it signified.

“Zhou Xiangzhe,” Shen Wang finally broke the silence, “how’s that friend of yours who gave you the umbrella?”

The question left Zhou Xiangzhe unsure how to answer, because the friend who had given him the umbrella was standing right beside him, having just asked that very question.

“He’s doing well,” Zhou Xiangzhe finally replied. “He’s living a good life now, in good spirits and with a positive mindset. Even though he seems to have forgotten me, I’m still happy for him.”

“Is that so?” Shen Wang pressed, “Since he’s forgotten you, what did you do with that umbrella?”

“I actually lost it by accident,” Zhou Xiangzhe explained, though it felt more like he was confiding with a trusted friend. 

Perhaps Shen Wang was both a listener and the subject of the story at the same time.

Zhou Xiangzhe could never completely separate Shen Wang from his younger self. In his heart, he always thought of him as he was back then.

“But it seems like there’s a chance to retrieve it,” Zhou Xiangzhe’s voice softened, “I don’t know if it’s still there…”

That disposable little umbrella left behind in the orphanage.

Shen Wang watched him intently, his black eyes reflecting Zhou Xiangzhe’s figure. He simply gazed at Zhou Xiangzhe with a serious expression.

It was as if he was slowly tearing apart the image of Xiao Qi from his memory, then piecing it back together, finally molding it into the Zhou Xiangzhe of today.

Yes, someone with Xiao Qi’s personality could only grow up to become someone like Zhou Xiangzhe.

Shen Wang sighed and casually said, “Why don’t you forget him too?”

Zhou Xiangzhe looked at him.

“He’s forgotten you, so for fairness, you should forget him too. As compensation, I’ll give you a new umbrella.”

Shen Wang smiled at him, “What kind of umbrella do you like?”

This was why Zhou Xiangzhe could never let go of his Xiao Shiwu.

Because he always felt the same level of importance from Xiao Shiwu. Even now, when everyone respected and feared him, only Shen Wang would say to him: “I want to give you a new umbrella.”

How could he not love someone like that?