RIACMET chapter 91

 

In early May, after Cheng Jing and his team finished a round of intensive training, they received a new mission.

They were to head to a small town several hundred kilometers from the base. After being cleared out once, word was that zombies had started gathering there again, and there were rumors that some survivors were trapped.

Last night, the base picked up a distress signal, but it was cut off soon after, so the situation couldn’t be confirmed.

The nearby regular troops had already arrived, so Cheng Jing’s team just needed to join them.

The trip would probably take three to five days.

Since they would be traveling with others, it wouldn’t be easy to pull supplies out of the space ring at any moment. There was also a chance that they would split up and act independently, so they could only pack what each person could carry in their personal tactical backpacks.

For this reason, Jiang Nian carefully prepared an appropriate amount of lightweight supplies for his teammates.

In addition to the standard dry rations and survival biscuits, as well as the pills that Cheng Jing had stockpiled, Jiang Nian included a small batch of concentrated energy drinks with special effects that would come in handy.

“All done. Pass these to Sister Qian and the others tomorrow morning.”

After packing up, Jiang Nian clapped his hands.

Cheng Jing looked up from the route map he was studying on the sofa and gazed at Jiang Nian.

“Thanks for all the hard work.”

“Heh…”

Jiang Nian walked over and sat down beside him.

“Brother Jing, why don’t you ask Zhou Li and Yang Kai if I can go along too?”

He genuinely wanted to head out with them.

Practicing in the field was the best way to improve. Since the last time he went out, he had been training diligently every day. His superpower’s range had increased by 80 meters, bringing the total diameter to 280 meters.

If he could tag along this time, he might finally break through to 300 meters.

Cheng Jing patted his shoulder.

“No, I already asked. Only the rescue team is allowed to join this operation. So you just stay home and run your little shop.”

It was true—after all, this was a formal, official mission.

He couldn’t make all the decisions for this kind of action himself, so he didn’t want Jiang Nian to follow along.

“…Alright.”

It was the third time he had tried to ask, and it was clear that he wouldn’t get his way. Jiang Nian could only give up. He propped his chin in his hand, sat there listlessly, and kept him company as he looked over the map.

After a while, he leaned over and softly asked,

“What time are you leaving tomorrow?”

They had basically never been apart since the apocalypse stabilized, so now, the idea of being separated felt strange.

“We’ll head out after reporting to the command center in the morning. You can close the shop a little early in the afternoon and head home. If you need anything, just go find Uncle Li or Yang Kai.”

Cheng Jing felt the same way, but he restrained himself from showing it. If he could, he would have stuffed this person into his pocket or space ring to carry him around at all times.

Jiang Nian smiled and nodded.

“Don’t worry. I’m a grown man. You don’t have to worry about me while you’re out there. Just be careful.”

After pausing, he cupped his boyfriend’s face with both hands and said seriously,

“Brother Jing, remember what we agreed to. No matter how bad things get, you have to tell me first. Also, stick the bionic skin patches over any exposed wounds.”

Bionic skin is a type of patch that is practically identical to real skin in terms of thickness and appearance, but it is tougher and more elastic.

Before the apocalypse, it was used for special makeup effects.

Although it sounded useless, it worked amazingly well. It felt just like your own skin once applied and wasn’t as cumbersome as other protective measures.

He’d prepared these because he’d heard from Xia Weiwei and the others in his previous life that they could prevent infection from countless tiny scratches.

In hot weather when more skin is exposed, it’s better to be cautious.

“Yeah, I know.”

Cheng Jing nodded. In the worst-case scenario—being clawed by zombies or ending up in critical condition—

If he hadn’t known that Jiang Nian had been reborn with purification powers, he might not have mentioned it. Now that he knew everything, though, of course he’d tell his lover right away.

No matter what, he wanted to grow old with Jiang Nian in this life. Loving someone only meant something if you protected them yourself.

Once someone was gone, no matter how deep the love, all that was left were a few blades of grass growing on the grave.

“….”

~Muach!

Jiang Nian smiled and gave him a light kiss, like a dragonfly skimming the surface of the water.

The next second, Cheng Jing tossed the map aside and moved in, pushing the man back onto the sofa and biting him without saying a word.

The sun had just set, and the dim light streaming in through the window illuminated the two figures desperately entangled against the wall.

They were about to be apart for a few days, and it was impossible not to already miss each other.

Besides, they’d been busy with shop matters lately and hadn’t spent much time together. In the atmosphere of impending separation, the noise they made was excessive:

From the living room to the bathroom and from the bathroom to the bedroom.

Jiang Nian might have started it, but Cheng Jing had the final say on when it would end.

The thought of not seeing each other for days made Cheng Jing even more relentless. When the person in his arms began to plead for mercy, he covered his mouth ruthlessly to keep him quiet.

“Be good. Just cry for a little while.”

Such a pitiful expression—he loved it so much.

When they first started dating, conquering Jiang Nian gave him a genuine sense of accomplishment. Jiang Nian was well-behaved, never daring to act out.

It was only after they broke up that he regretted not bullying him more.

All in all, the past was the past, and the present was a bit of a relapse.

He wrote twenty thousand words of self-reflection afterward, yet he made the same mistakes again.

The most important thing was that Nian Nian never blamed him.

“…”

Every time Brother Jing lost control in bed, Jiang Nian felt hollow.

The next day, all his teammates had left the base, yet he was still lying in bed, limp and boneless.

Then, the foreman he’d hired to plan the farm called him.

“Boss Jiang, here’s the thing: We’ve finished the farm planning draft. If it’s convenient, we could meet and discuss it.”

“…”

Jiang Nian glanced at the clock and replied.

“All right, let’s do this. You can come to the shop after lunch and sign the contract if that works.”

People who actually worked were always so efficient.

He’d thought they would all take some time to rest after wrapping up the last project. Other than the initial plans for the farm, the construction team probably wouldn’t start working until June at the earliest. Anyway, he wasn’t in a rush. He hadn’t expected it to happen so fast.

“All right, thank you for your help.”

After saying that, the other person politely ended the call.

Jiang Nian sat up and stared dazedly at the marks scattered across his chest.

If not for that man’s beauty, he would already be out earning points.

Sigh. This was all Brother Jing’s fault.

“Hmmm…”

He stretched lazily, turned off the air conditioning, and left the room.

They say that how you start your morning sets the tone for the day, but Jiang Nian woke up at noon today with no intention of opening the shop as usual.

After eating without much awareness, he slowly made his way to the store.

Brother Jing had sucked away his strength and energy. The emptiness that followed left him feeling sluggish.