RIACMET chapter 232

 

On the fifth day outside, all of the transport vehicles in Chu Yi’s storage space were filled with zombies — mission accomplished.

At their current pace, it would take them about three more days to complete the circuit and return to the base.

They would wrap up the mission first. As for any zombies they encountered on the way back, they would just cremate them on the spot and harvest their crystal cores.

Besides exchanging them for points, they also needed to stockpile food for Gao Xuyang. He had to consume crystal cores until his sense of taste returned to normal and his body could absorb nutrients from regular food again.

To speed up his recovery, Mr. Gao had gotten over his fear and rejection of Jiang Nian’s superpowers. Even out here in the field, he continued to request daily purifications from Jiang Nian.

Each session now lasted up to twenty minutes. The dark veins that used to bulge slightly beneath his pale skin were no longer visible, and his heartbeat had grown stronger.

“Mr. Gao, have you recovered enough? Would you like to eat a few more crystal cores to recharge your strength?”

After Jiang Nian exited the tent, Yang Kai asked, placing his hands at his sides.

Sometimes, when he saw his lover in pain, he couldn’t help but think that maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if Teacher Gao stayed like this forever.

However, Gao Xuyang himself had said that he wanted to be human with the powers of a zombie king, not a zombie king clinging to scraps of human thought.

“No need.”

Gao Xuyang stared blankly at Yang Kai. His muddled memories began spinning in his mind again.

After a while, when some fragments gradually became clearer, he raised his hand to touch Yang Kai’s face.

Seeing this, Yang Kai tilted his head slightly and nuzzled his cheek into Gao’s palm. He asked softly,

“You remembered something again?”

Each time his memories returned, the man would unconsciously draw close to him.

“Yeah.”

After a long pause, Gao Xuyang slowly closed and opened his eyes again, then lowered his hand.

“I remembered the same thing…again.”

After saying that, he turned his face away. The memories he had recovered didn’t feel quite right; they unsettled him.

Hearing this, Yang Kai leaned down and hugged him tightly, whispering teasingly in his ear,

“The same thing? Another memory of us in bed? Seems like that’s really stuck in your head, teacher~.”

Perhaps it was due to his fondness for touch. What resurfaced in Gao Xuyang’s memory were fragments of their intimate moments together, which made Yang Kai very happy.

Gao Xuyang’s expression didn’t change. He gently pushed Yang Kai away with one hand.

“Get off me. You’re too hot.”

Whenever Yang Kai got close, Gao Xuyang could feel the faint, but constant, heat radiating from him.

Yang Kai acted like he didn’t hear him:

“It’s through clothes, Teacher… You’re not afraid of the heat, are you? Just let me hold you a bit longer.”

“Someone might come.”

Gao Xuyang didn’t feel much from the physical contact. It was more of a mental reaction. The resurfaced memories and his partner’s behavior made his imagination run wild.

Yang Kai knew he wasn’t being rejected outright and continued with a smile.

“Everyone’s tactful enough not to just barge in.”

They stayed snuggled together, chatting quietly, until someone outside called out that it was mealtime, at which point they finally left the tent.

…

The team was highly efficient. They completed the mission and returned to base in under half a month, having captured 10,000 zombies total.

Originally, the base had planned to use a complex method to keep the zombies quiet while extracting crystal core energy. But with Gao Xuyang there, that wasn’t necessary.

As long as Jiang Nian didn’t use his superpowers near the special storage site, the zombies remained docile, much like those in Guanshan Prison.

They stayed that way until their crystal cores were drained, rendering them useless.

The special facility was underground and secured with thick steel plates, soundproof insulation, and bulletproof observation windows.

The energy extraction control center was above ground — the entire command office had been built like a fortress.

It was surrounded by reinforced walls and under constant surveillance from within and without. Only a select few had clearance to enter or exit, and the facility was guarded 24/7 by soldiers and powered individuals.

The crystal cores were placed in specialized instruments and funneled to the underground facility. Extraction time and intensity could be adjusted based on demand.

Because the base continually purchased and recycled cores from the 10,000 zombies, the crystal core power station could supply the entire Southern City Base with independent electricity.

With energy secured, the next step was to test and install instruments and wiring. If all went well, the power plant would be fully operational before the polar night arrived.

Consequently, superpowered individuals like Cheng Jing were busier than ever and barely had time to socialize with their teammates during working hours.

Since Brother Jing was busy, Jiang Nian went off to amuse himself. He caused a stir at the physical training ground and established quite the presence among the newcomers, many of whom secretly thought he was a pretty boy.

Later, Yang Kai and Jiang Nian took out their motorcycles and blasted through sand and gravel while shouting wildly to release their inner frustration as they patrolled the base with Mister Gao.

They floored the gas, drifted corners with style, and enjoyed the ultimate racing experience.

The two of them were having a blast. But Gao Xuyang, watching from the sidelines, couldn’t help but worry that they would fly off the road at any moment — or that Yang Kai would lose control of his powers and explode.

“Awesome!”

After the final lap, Jiang Nian rolled his bike into the lot and flopped onto the dusty ground, covering himself in dirt.

He lifted the visor of his helmet to reveal an unusually fanatical expression on his sweat-slicked face.

“Crazy little bastard.”

Yang Kai stopped his motorcycle, muttered with a chuckle, and walked over to offer Jiang Nian a hand.

“Get up—the ground’s dirty and hot.”

Jiang Nian’s particular brand of “madness” was perfectly in sync with Yang Kai’s.

“Hup!”

Jiang Nian stood up with his help, brushed off the dust, and stashed the motorcycle away. He said with visible dissatisfaction,

“Let’s come back in two days.”

Then, he headed toward the patrol car. Yang Kai nodded in agreement, then casually asked,

“Aren’t you afraid Brother Cheng will be upset that you’re acting so crazy?”

“He’d probably be upset if it were just the two of us. But we brought Mister Gao, so it’s fine,”

Jiang Nian said with a grin as he turned around.

Yang Kai froze for two seconds, then raised his voice.

“What? He’s still guarding against me?”

Jiang Nian shrugged.

“Not just you. It depends on the situation. He guards everyone.”

Yang Kai: “… ”