EDEH Chapter 81

Sang Jue opened a shop.

 

A very small tavern, just like the ones he’d seen in the lower districts. The interior didn’t serve customers—the wall by the entrance was made into a hollow bar counter with several high stools along the edge. Pay, drink, and leave.

 

This was something he’d spotted the night before last while walking the streets with Huo Jiangmian. He’d taken a liking to it immediately.

 

Huo Jiangmian had asked then: “Is Huo Yanji too poor to support you?”

 

Sang Jue had just huffed without answering.

 

He needed to work hard to earn money. Even if Huo Yanji paid for the golden house, what if they needed to elope someday? He’d still need money to support them.

 

The little evil dragon still harbored dreams of spiriting away his prince, firmly believing that day would come.

 

Though Sang Jue didn’t understand human survival methods, he had 007’s guidance. Where to buy materials, what preparations were needed—with 007’s help, it could all be settled in a day.

 

But because he was Sang Jue, and everyone now thought he was a deviant, he couldn’t participate in food-related industries.

 

So he voluntarily underwent his first genetic test since being exposed, with all the high-ranking officials present. The examining researcher was Hill.

 

Ji Ji was too upright, unwilling to lie to the people.

 

But the doctor had said that people couldn’t live their entire lives in black and white. Most of the time lying was bad, but if appropriate lies could protect oneself, there was no need to feel ashamed.

 

Besides, this wasn’t lying—he wasn’t a deviant to begin with.

 

Hill came out with a stack of reports. Everyone stood up, holding their breath as they waited for the results.

 

Hill looked around at everyone, her gaze finally settling on Sang Jue’s face: “Resident Sang Jue’s genetic test results show 100% genetic purity. He is an uncontaminated, non-evolved ordinary human.”

 

“…” A moment of silence.

 

The old general who had been seen two days ago patted Ling Gen’s shoulder and turned around: “Don’t be stubborn. It’s just malicious rumors deliberately spread by those with ulterior motives to smear General Huo.”

 

Ling Gen looked at Sang Jue, frowning slightly. He always felt something was off, but couldn’t say what exactly. He dealt with Huo Yanji fairly regularly—if Sang Jue really wasn’t a deviant, why hadn’t Huo Yanji denied it?

 

Sang Jue didn’t panic, calmly meeting his gaze.

 

007 had told him that even with the report, not everyone would believe it. Some would be reassured, but others might become more suspicious.

 

But Sang Jue didn’t care—those who wanted to doubt would doubt anyway.

 

Besides, before this… he’d already undergone one genetic test, and the report should still be on file. If Ling Gen wanted to check, he could do so at any time.

 

The others didn’t seem to doubt the report’s authenticity, at least not outwardly showing any emotion.

 

Isaac and Tang Bai tucked their hands away and turned to leave: “Calling us here for such a trivial matter—even if he really was a deviant, what’s it to us? What a waste of time.”

 

Everyone had other matters to attend to. The terrifying-looking Liao Te left without looking sideways, only dropping one line: “If you need anything, you can find me. I owe the general my life.”

 

He didn’t look at Sang Jue, but everyone knew those words were meant for him.

 

Finally, only Sang Jue and Hill remained.

 

After staring at each other for a while, Sang Jue took the initiative: “Do you have any questions?”

 

“Yes, do you still like eating potato strips?” Hill smiled and asked.

 

“…?”

 

Two months later, the two of them had potato strips again, though not at the same shop. This shop was also small, but surrounded by many people, full of worldly noise.

 

Most people who stopped were talking about recent major events, each one a hot topic of conversation.

 

Hill said: “Others jokingly call this place the ‘slums.'”

 

This area was between the lower and upper districts, with both deviants and ordinary people. The city’s famous “tourist area” was right behind this section.

 

Here, Sang Jue heard different voices.

 

Most people held a spectator’s attitude toward the Dawn Plan and the Huo Jiangmian-Huo Yanji affair, not taking it seriously.

 

Setting aside the former, just regarding the latter, everyone listened like it was gossip. Some mentioned the public trial from years ago, laughing loudly: “If that happened to my wife, I’d fucking torture every single person who participated back then—that still wouldn’t be enough to vent my anger.”

 

“If you ask me, it’d be pretty good if we all went down together. What kind of fucking shitty life is this anyway?!” This was said by a deviant who couldn’t care less about any Dawn Plan.

 

Someone laughed in agreement: “Exactly! This half-dead, half-alive existence, living in fear every day—might as well just end it all!!”

 

If they hadn’t chosen to evolve back then, they might not have survived until now. Even if it was a conspiracy, it had indeed given them a chance to live longer.

 

They were both afraid of death and not afraid of death.

 

Choosing to die required great courage, but if external forces destroyed everything and everyone went to the underworld together, that wasn’t unacceptable either.

 

Hill ate a french fry without sauce: “People who struggle just to survive don’t care about conspiracies and schemes, much less about continuing civilization’s flame.”

 

Sang Jue dipped each fry in lots of sauce, eating very attentively: “By struggling to survive, they’re already continuing the flame.”

 

“Yes… history is composed of countless individuals.” Hill smiled and asked: “What about you? Are you willing to become part of this history?”

 

“No.” Sang Jue didn’t even think about it: “I still haven’t paid you back for the potato strips you bought me last time. I have money now, so let me pay.”

 

…

 

The tavern opened successfully.

 

“I’ll have a ‘Empty City.'”

 

“Coming right up.”

 

Sang Jue didn’t look up, turning back to get the ingredients.

 

The ‘Empty City’ had a very light color, the entire glass was gray, from light to deep, with what looked like a layer of dark clouds pressed on top, becoming more empty toward the bottom.

 

Sang Jue steadily placed it on the bar counter: “Eighty-one cups.”

 

Huo Jiangmian swirled the glass, and the liquor immediately became murky.

 

“…” Sang Jue pursed his lips, having to console himself that once it was sold to someone else, whether they muddied it or not had nothing to do with him.

 

Huo Jiangmian paid: “Isn’t eighty a bit expensive for one cup? Some people’s monthly expenses are only eighty.”

 

Sang Jue pointed to the sign beside him: “Fixed prices, fair for all.”

 

Even if it was Ji Ji’s brother, he couldn’t drink for free.

 

Huo Jiangmian: “…”

 

Sang Jue asked: “Are you no longer a general?”

 

Huo Jiangmian hummed: “Just finished all the handover procedures this morning.”

 

Sang Jue asked again: “Are you relaxed now?”

 

Huo Jiangmian said: “Hard to say. It feels lighter, but also not lighter.”

 

Sang Jue arbitrarily hung up a “closed” sign, humming: “But even so, you can’t leave. They won’t allow a general who holds classified intelligence and secrets to leave the city and go anywhere.”

 

Huo Jiangmian raised an eyebrow: “How do you know I want to leave the city?”

 

Sang Jue said: “I guessed.”

 

Huo Jiangmian didn’t know whether to believe it or not: “What about you? I heard about the genetic test. Are you really not a deviant?”

 

After staring at each other for a while, Sang Jue said: “Really not.”

 

Huo Jiangmian smiled without pursuing it further: “I have my own way to leave.”

 

Sang Jue asked curiously: “Fake your death?”

 

Huo Jiangmian: “…”

 

Sang Jue knew he might have guessed right, thinking of the person far away.

 

Because the distance was too far, civilian signals couldn’t communicate with Huo Yanji. Sang Jue didn’t know what he was doing or whether he was sleeping well.

 

Huo Jiangmian asked: “How come you seem taller?”

 

Sang Jue huffed: “I was always this tall.”

 

Huo Jiangmian: “Really? I don’t believe it.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

Compared to the people on this planet, Sang Jue wasn’t particularly tall. Before, people always wanted to bully him because he didn’t look strong enough. After opening the tavern, there would definitely be more such people.

 

To not lose in presence, Sang Jue had placed two bricks under his feet.

 

Huo Jiangmian said: “This might be our last meeting. Can’t you be more honest?”

 

Sang Jue stepped down from the bricks: “I’m only eighteen, I can still grow taller.”

 

“Yes, yes, grow as tall as a monkey tree.”

 

Sang Jue didn’t know what a monkey tree was, but he didn’t want to ask Huo Jiangmian, deciding to look through the illustrated guide when he got home tonight.

 

He hesitated, then asked: “With so many things happening recently, all the safe zones in chaos, are you happy?”

 

He didn’t mean any sarcasm, just pure curiosity.

 

This was also a task 007 had given him. 007 said it wanted to complete the experiences and mentality of everyone it encountered, especially people in positions like Huo Jiangmian.

 

Huo Jiangmian said flatly: “Can’t say I’m happy, can’t say I’m not happy either. My ideals were shattered many years ago. Coming this far was to fulfill Bo Qing’s dream. If the safe zones really fall apart, he probably wouldn’t be happy.”

 

As Huo Jiangmian, he might need to look down on everyone with lofty mockery.

 

But as a district general and commander, the soul in his body was Bo Qing.

 

This was too complicated for Sang Jue to understand, but 007 having recordable data was enough.

 

Huo Jiangmian continued: “But the exposure of the Dawn Plan and the dissolution of the Supervisor Organization might not be bad things.”

 

Sang Jue looked up: “Hmm?”

 

“History is composed of individual bodies, and in the past, some people bore too much for the survivors. Deviants carried the burden for ordinary people, supervisors bore the evil for everyone.”

 

After a pause, Huo Jiangmian lowered his eyes and sipped his drink: “Over ten years ago, we were all young. We felt bad seeing anyone die, but Herman Lange, who was still the Supreme Executive then, could always remain unmoved.

 

“He told us that feeling bad was because we had experienced too few deaths, and we’d get used to it with more.”

 

“…”

 

Sang Jue didn’t speak because he didn’t know what it felt like to feel bad about someone’s death.

 

“But once you get used to it, you become numb. Getting used to things isn’t necessarily good, and pain isn’t necessarily bad.”

 

Huo Jiangmian said in a tone similar to Huo Yanji’s: “So I actually think everything that’s happened recently is good. Only by giving numb people a wake-up call can they become clear-headed. Only by feeling pain can history progress.”

 

Sang Jue gave a heavy hum, clearly not listening carefully.

 

Huo Jiangmian laughed: “You’re definitely criticizing me in your heart.”

 

Sang Jue didn’t admit it: “I’m not.”

 

“Really? I don’t believe it.” Huo Jiangmian deliberately teased him, and only after seeing him frown did he finally drink the ‘Empty City’ in one gulp. He got off the high stool, waved, and said: “I’m leaving. See you again if fate allows.”

 

Sang Jue: “Goodbye.”

 

Huo Jiangmian paused, turned back: “If Yanji comes back… tell him I’ll always be watching him.”

 

Sang Jue said “okay.”

 

Huo Jiangmian left, and now Huo Yanji only had him as family.

 

Thinking of this, Sang Jue felt a little happy again.

 

He watched Huo Jiangmian’s figure gradually disappear, putting the empty glass in the sink to wash.

 

He thought again of Hill’s question yesterday about whether he was willing to become part of history. Though he had refused, thinking about it now, Huo Yanji was surely an indispensable part of history, and he was his male, so did that mean he had already become part of history?

 

007 said in his mind: “You’ve changed quite a bit since you landed.”

 

Sang Jue couldn’t feel it himself: “In what way?”

 

007 said bluntly: “You’ve started to get used to thinking, and when you lie or play little tricks, you can sometimes not blink.”

 

“…” Sang Jue asked, not mentioning the little tricks: “Do I blink when I lie?”

 

007 said: “Yes, and when you’re confused too.”

 

Sang Jue’s expressions were always insufficient, very flat, showing emotions only through minor details.

 

Sang Jue was somewhat worried, asking: “Did the general notice?”

 

007 said: “Number 002’s emotions are hidden very deep, hard to discern.”

 

At the mention of Huo Yanji, Sang Jue became somewhat distracted.

 

At seven in the evening, when the city’s taverns were at their busiest, Sang Jue closed up and prepared to go home—because Colin had brought him a recording.

 

“What’s this?”

 

Colin said: “The general sent back communications. They’ll reach the underground city in two days. There’s a message for you at the end.”

 

Sang Jue grabbed the recorder, closed the door and headed home.

 

The recording was edited, with all military-related content removed, leaving only the final sentence in Huo Yanji’s characteristic crisp tone: “Found a rare gem on the road, bringing it back for you.”

 

Sang Jue’s lips curved up, listening all the way home.

 

Once home, his tail immediately emerged, coiling on the sofa. He touched himself while listening to Huo Yanji saying he’d bring him gems.

 

It was as if Huo Yanji was still beside him, stroking his tail.

 

…

 

[Missing the doctor, day sixty-five. Missing my wife, day seven.

 

Many things have happened recently. Writing them all down would be too tiring, so I’ll just mention six points:…

 

He and I have separated, and only 007 is by my side again.

 

But I opened a small tavern, and everyone really likes the drinks I mix. Yesterday a deviant caused trouble, but other deviants stopped him before I could act.

 

Not all humans are hateful, just those who stand out have too strong a presence, and I don’t like them.

 

Ji Ji’s heart holds many people and many things, but I only want to take him back to my home planet.

 

007 told me that once everything stabilizes, my mission will end quickly. I don’t know if I can take him with me. Huo Jiangmian said he would fake his death, which seems suitable for Ji Ji too.

 

I hope my wife will always be with me.

 

And the doctor too.

 

Evil Dragon, February 7th, Year 326]

 

As the last stroke fell, urgent alarm sounds pierced through the window, sharp and piercing.

 

Sang Jue’s hand slipped, the pen fell to the floor. He felt a strange vibration… and countless chaotic rhythms, filled with greedy contamination desires, rapidly approaching.

 

**

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