RIACMET chapter 140

 

“Uh…”

Jiang Nian didn’t have the courage to lie to his boyfriend. Facing Cheng Jing’s “I already know” expression, he couldn’t think of an excuse to deny it. He could only vaguely brush it off.

“Well, not often, and not that serious…”

Did he say something while he was unconscious? Otherwise, how could Brother Jing have figured it out?

“… ”

Cheng Jing knew right away that “not often” meant it happened frequently and “not that serious” meant it was serious. Otherwise, there was no way he could have made such rapid progress.

Still, remembering how much pain this man had been in yesterday, Cheng Jing couldn’t bear to blame him. His little brat had no sense of security, so he could only warn him seriously.

“Don’t do this again, all right?”

The heartless brat wasn’t the least bit afraid of breaking his heart.

“Yeah.”

Jiang Nian agreed immediately.

“I was just too anxious. I wanted to know the limits of my power. I won’t do it again, I promise.”

Cheng Jing asked,

“Now that you know, what’s the number?”

Jiang Nian held up his fingers with a proud grin.

“Four hundred sixty meters! Brother Jing, I feel amazing!”

The usual breakthrough point was 410 meters. Reaching 460 meters by pushing past his limits was definitely worth it!

There were still 40 meters to go. He could train at home or at the ranch for a few days.

“You’re incredible!”

Cheng Jing hugged him tightly. The pain caused by the excessive use of mental energy and superpowers was not something an ordinary person could endure. But this man managed it, thanks in no small part to his past life experiences.

How could he not feel heartache?

He dreamed of freeing his lover completely from everyone and everything connected to that destiny, including things that were “fated.”

“Thank you, Brother Jing, for worrying about me.”

Jiang Nian beamed as if he had already forgotten the bone-deep pain he experienced from exhausting his powers the day before.

Cheng Jing patted him on the back.

“All right. Everyone’s waiting outside. Go shower, pack up, and grab some food. Then, let’s head back to the base.”

“Okay.”

…

The teammates had all been worried about Jiang Nian. When they saw how full of energy he was after waking up, they breathed a collective sigh of relief.

Only Cheng Jing’s expression remained stern, so Jiang Nian was allowed to keep sleeping in the vehicle.

He didn’t argue, just obediently putting on his Luo Xiaohei[mfn]Luo Xiaohei (罗小黑 / Luō Xiǎohēi) is a character from a popular Chinese animated series called 《罗小黑战记》 (The Legend of Luo Xiaohei).[/mfn] sleep mask to cover half his face before dozing off.

He knew Brother Jing was happy about his progress, but unhappy about how recklessly he pushed himself. He had to behave well for now.

It was true that overusing his mental energy made him drowsy after a full meal.

Looking at the sleeping person beside him, Cheng Jing’s heart softened. But when he saw this peaceful expression, the thought of swapping out his superpower crystal core surfaced again.

However, after cooling off overnight, he was no longer as excited about the idea as he was yesterday.

First, it was still too early. The base and the authorities were still focused on rescuing survivors and preserving civilization’s core.

To help as many people as possible survive, the scientists’ main efforts aside from researching an antidote serum were aimed at solving issues of daily survival, such as purifying soil and restoring ecological cycles.

Second, the energy in zombie crystal cores hadn’t been fully tapped yet, and resource constraints made crystal core transplantation experiments unfeasible. In short, reality wasn’t ready, so there was no point in rushing.

Besides, Jiang Nian was smart. He had seen these events unfold in his previous life and had even witnessed successful crystal core transplants. There was no way he hadn’t considered using that method to avoid risk.

The fact that he’d never brought it up meant that he didn’t want to.

Cheng Jing wouldn’t dare suggest something like that out of the blue. Without the right timing, conditions, or circumstances, it could damage their relationship more than help it.

“Sigh…”

Cheng Jing rubbed his brow and let out a frustrated sigh. He had gone around and around in his thoughts, becoming tangled in them. For now, all he could do was keep the idea buried in his heart.

He would wait until his brother brought the brain-evolution specialists to the base and the crystal core energy entered a stable phase!

No matter what, he was determined to do whatever it took to keep Nian Nian out of danger.

“…”

Zhao Lei and Liao Yu, who were driving up front, didn’t know why the team leader sighed. They both silently muttered the same thing in their hearts: You deserve it.
The truth was, they had eaten too much dog food, and their thoughts were fried.

…

On the way back, they retraced their path from Xihe City. Knowing the road conditions helped, and with drones scouting ahead, they were able to travel much faster than on the way out.

They paused midday to eat and rest. Cheng Jing gently woke Jiang Nian, gave him some food, and sent him back to the car to sleep.

Afterward, Cheng Jing crouched beside a pile of rocks near the car, deep in thought. He occasionally pulled out his phone to check or reply to messages.

The other teammates lounged outside the vehicle to relax and let Xiaoqi out to enjoy some fresh air. The energetic little guy had been bouncing around excitedly the whole trip.

Noticing Cheng Jing’s blank stare, Zhao Lei walked over and asked,

“Brother Cheng, is Brother Nian all right?”

“He’s just sleepy from expending too much energy. Nothing serious,” Cheng Jing replied. Cheng Jing replied, but his tone suggested otherwise.

Zhao Lei stepped closer and patted him on the shoulder.

“It’s a good thing Brother Nian’s ability isn’t super deadly. Otherwise, I can’t imagine how strong our team would be under his leadership.”

Cheng Jing rolled his eyes at him.

“What? Are you saying that I treated you unfairly as captain?”

What was there to “not imagine”? If Jiang Nian’s ability were that offensive—or if he could swap it—he’d definitely lead this team of gifted folks across the apocalypse with flair!

Who could be more over-the-top than him?

“No, we’re lucky to have you.”

Zhao Lei replied with a smile. Then, after a moment of serious thought, he explained,

“It’s just that the way Brother Nian handles his weapons and shoots is really inspiring.”

In a fight, there’s no such thing as playing nice—just use the most effective weapon. Efficiency mattered in a battle. No matter how strong the enemy was, Brother Nian had to be stronger.

That kind of energy made your blood boil.

“Ha…”

Cheng Jing stood up and glanced toward the car.

“Don’t say stuff like that in front of him. He’ll get even more out of control when he starts feeling proud.”

“Hahaha…”

Zhao Lei laughed out loud, then raised a hand and rested it on Cheng Jing’s shoulder. His expression turned serious.

“We’re brothers who’ve been through life and death together. Don’t keep things from us. If something’s going on, tell us. We’ll handle it together. Especially if it has to do with Jiang Nian. If you try to handle everything on your own and something goes wrong, we’ll all be worried sick.”

After saying that, he lifted his chin and nodded toward the others, who were still playing with the dog.

“Everyone asked me to tell you this. It’s not just my opinion. Brother Cheng, Jiang Nian matters to you, and he matters to us, too.”

“I know.”

Cheng Jing smiled and patted his back a few times.

“Don’t worry. When I need you, I won’t hesitate to ask.”

Once he had a plan, it would be crucial.

“…”

After resting, the driver called Xiaoqi back into the vehicle, and the team hit the road once more.

The drive was smooth, and they passed a few rescue convoys searching for survivors along the way. They arrived back at the base at 6 p.m.

Cheng Jing had sent a message to his friends at the base along the way.

By the time their vehicle pulled up under the dorm building, everyone was waiting for them.