EDEH Chapter 17

Night had fallen deep. Sang Jue checked the time—it was almost past midnight.

 

Yet the flying avian contaminants still swarmed in great numbers. After they killed one batch, new ones would charge in.

 

After thinking it over, Sang Jue reached a conclusion—this seemed related to him.

 

The monsters seemed able to smell his scent and all wanted to ‘devour’ him, but birds had virtually no sense of smell, so they couldn’t determine his exact location.

 

The darkness made fighting much more difficult. A survivor ran out from a building: “Give me a gun, I can fight with you!”

 

Andre, who was closest, had just rushed over when he heard a “pfft” sound. He watched helplessly as the survivor was hit by a bullet and fell in front of him.

 

Warm blood splattered on his face. He closed his eyes and didn’t open them for a long time.

 

It wasn’t Colin who had fired—it was Sang Jue.

 

Colin had also seen that person but hadn’t detected whether they were infected. He asked seriously: “Missed?”

 

“I didn’t miss. He was infected.” Sang Jue could hear the gradually intensifying sounds within the person, the thick contamination desire unique to monsters.

 

Andre wiped the blood from his face. This time no one could stop him as he grabbed Colin by the collar: “Have you gone mad with killing? Open your damn eyes and look carefully—he was a living person!!”

 

Rage had clouded Andre’s mind. He just wanted to pin Colin down and beat him severely—completely forgetting that besides being a supervisor, Colin was also an army colonel.

 

If this punch landed, he would definitely be sent to the supervision tribunal.

 

Just before his fist struck, a cool, soft hand grabbed his forearm.

 

Andre angrily tried to shake it off, but was shocked to find he couldn’t resist. His grabbed right hand was being pulled away from Colin’s left cheek with undeniable force.

 

The one stopping him was that seemingly decorative but actually decent marksman—the little flower vase.

 

Everyone around immediately froze, not even noticing the danger behind them. Bao Cang was the first to react, punching away a diving strange bird and swinging it by its wing to smash against a nearby high wall, leaving it bloody and mangled.

 

Sang Jue suggested: “If you can’t bear others’ deaths, you should stay home.”

 

Hatred flowed from Andre’s eyes: “What would a whore like you understand!!”

 

Sang Jue wrinkled his nose, not understanding, but from the tone, it probably wasn’t something nice.

 

“You’re truly stupid.” Sang Jue’s tone was too soft and peaceful—even his insults sounded like acting spoiled. “Even if you want to fight, you should fight me—after all, I was the one who shot that infected person.”

 

“…”

 

Sang Jue drew the knife Colin had strapped to his leg and cut open the infected person’s shirt. The festering on his shoulder was immediately exposed to the air.

 

“Look, he was infected.”

 

“So what!?” Andre let out all his anger in one breath. “He was still conscious, still human! Even the research institute has published that after being infected by unprocessed contamination genes, there’s still a one-in-a-thousand chance of survival! What gives you the right to kill him before he lost control? What right!?”

 

“You’re garbage too! An ordinary person rushing to do a supervisor’s job—so eager to please Huo Yanji? Does he fuck you so good that you love his dick that much? No wait, your bed skills must be amazing to take down even Huo Yanji, you—”

 

Bao Cang shouted sternly: “Andre, that’s enough!!”

 

Unlike the others, Bao Cang could see that Sang Jue was extraordinary.

 

Setting aside Sang Jue’s own combat ability, if he and Huo Yanji really had that kind of relationship, just based on what Andre was saying today, did he still want to return to the main city alive?

 

Regardless of what he was cursing, Sang Jue, who had never been exposed to such vulgar language, was completely confused and didn’t understand a single sentence.

 

“Even if there’s a one-in-a-thousand chance of not losing rationality, so what?” Sang Jue secretly counted on his fingers. “Among a thousand infected people, only one won’t lose control. How do you propose to house these thousand infected people? How do you ensure that saving that one person won’t cause more deaths?”

 

Andre, held by Bao Cang’s grip on his arm, glared viciously at Sang Jue.

 

“You’re really stupid,” Sang Jue said unhappily. “That infected person wasn’t genuinely trying to help. He wanted to kill you—he wanted to drag someone down with him before dying, and you were that unlucky fool.”

 

An evil dragon’s sense of smell never erred. He could distinguish good from bad, could tell who harbored malice.

 

Andre’s mind involuntarily flashed to the viciousness that had flickered in the infected person’s eyes when asking for a gun, but he subconsciously ignored it.

 

He sneered coldly: “The person’s dead now. Whatever you say goes.”

 

Sang Jue was truly angry.

 

He said to Bao Cang: “Don’t hold him back. Let him fight me!”

 

He would definitely beat this Andre until he could never speak human words again.

 

Someone came out to mediate: “Everyone calm down, calm down! We still have important business!”

 

Only their group of about ten people had frozen. The other mercenaries and survivors were still fighting, battling fiercely with the mutant birds.

 

Andre still couldn’t hide his rage. He pursed his lips, but Sang Jue sensed something wrong in advance and dodged behind Colin.

 

Sure enough, the spit that would have landed on Sang Jue’s face went directly onto Colin’s chin.

 

Colin took a deep breath: “Nice dodge.”

 

Sang Jue poked out half his head.

 

He wasn’t afraid of fighting, but saliva was too contaminating—so disgusting.

 

Colin’s fist was also reaching its limit.

 

But not engaging in conflict with civilians during combat was one of the supervision codes. He checked the time and whistled sharply: “Everyone enter the cafeteria hall ahead for rest! We’ll set out again at dawn!!”

 

Dawn was only five or six hours away, but some rest was better than fighting all night.

 

The cafeteria was a mess, with tables and chairs scattered everywhere. Several survivors were hiding there, trembling as they asked when they saw them enter: “Are you here for rescue…”

 

“Bang—!” A loud crash came from outside the window.

 

A strange bird hit by a supervisor at a sniper position crashed diagonally into the cafeteria window. The entire glass panel shook, frightening the survivors into quickly covering their heads and hiding under tables again.

 

“Please rest assured, residents. We’re not the only support—we expect to quell the fighting within two days. The cafeteria windows use spider silk extensible double-layer glass that can’t be shattered. It’s very safe here.”

 

Colin: “Now, please everyone come out for inspection.”

 

People born in the collapse era were long accustomed to inspections. Colin picked several ordinary people from the mercenary team to help: “Familiar with the inspection procedures?”

 

“Familiar, couldn’t be more familiar,” one of them said casually with a cigarette dangling from his mouth. “Every time we go out and come back to the city, it’s like entering some classified base—strip naked, check eyeballs, wounds, saliva—Sir, do we need to check anuses too?”

 

This was mocking an ugly incident from ten years ago. A supervisor in charge of inspections at the city gate had some perverse habits, using inspection as an excuse to pick out good-looking men and molest them under the pretense of checking anal bacterial flora while wearing gloves. The matter wasn’t exposed until half a year later.

 

Thus one bad apple spoiled the whole barrel—supervisors’ already poor reputation gained another crude label of liking to probe anuses.

 

Colin’s expression didn’t change: “If you also want to squat in prison for ten years, you can try.”

 

“Haha, just joking.”

 

“Speaking of which, that guy should be out of prison by now.”

 

Colin led the survivors to the storage room, had them stand in a row, with other mercenaries conducting one-on-one inspections without contact to prevent infection.

 

Actually, testing contamination indices was most accurate, but it took time.

 

“Number 1, normal.”

 

“Number 2, normal.”

 

“Number 3, normal…”

 

The helpers all breathed sighs of relief. Joking aside, they really didn’t want to witness anyone else being shot.

 

Sang Jue actually knew these survivors weren’t infected—there were no sounds within their bodies—but if he told Colin, he’d definitely be questioned.

 

Colin walked out of the storage room and leaned against the wall with Sang Jue: “How did you tell that person was infected earlier?”

 

Sang Jue blinked: “I saw it.”

 

Colin asked: “Saw what?”

 

Sang Jue answered: “The wound on his shoulder.”

 

Colin said in surprise: “You could see in such darkness?”

 

Sang Jue nodded: “My vision is super good.”

 

It wasn’t really a lie—evil dragon vision was indeed excellent, and he had really seen the patch of blood on the infected person’s shoulder, just that he’d heard the sound before seeing it.

 

“It’s really a waste that you’re not a supervisor.”

 

Colin had wanted to suggest Sang Jue test for a position at the Supervision Bureau. Sang Jue had good marksmanship, wasn’t affected by emotions, and had good judgment—really suitable for this work.

 

But thinking that Sang Jue was the General’s person and surely had arrangements already, he swallowed the words.

 

He asked: “I’m going to take a leak. You coming?”

 

Sang Jue didn’t understand: “You’re such a grown man and still need help holding it?”

 

Colin choked. If it were anyone else, he’d assume they were making dirty jokes, but Sang Jue wasn’t joking and his tone wasn’t frivolous—just pure questioning.

 

“Watch your words in the future. You can only say such things to General Huo, understand?”

 

Colin felt his fate was truly bitter. Being cursed at all the way was bad enough, but he also had to help educate his respected General Huo’s little boyfriend.

 

Tsk.

 

“What kind of words?” Sang Jue was puzzled.

 

“Words with—” Colin considered his phrasing, “words with organs.”

 

Sang Jue recalled: “I didn’t mention any organs.”

 

Colin: “…I’m going to relieve myself. If anyone bullies you, shout for me.”

 

“They can’t beat me.”

 

“That’s true, really can’t tell.” This time Colin believed it. “I can’t hold it anymore. Go get some food and sleep for a while.”

 

Sang Jue found a corner to sit down and drank a tube of nutritional supplement.

 

He was somewhat sleepy, but this environment was really too poor.

 

The others were quite accustomed to it. Whether soldiers or mercenaries, they had all experienced much worse sleeping conditions. At least here there were walls to block the wind, monsters couldn’t easily get in, and there were so many companions around.

 

Snoring gradually filled the surroundings. Everyone was very tired. Some lay across long benches, while others who hadn’t managed to grab benches simply lay directly on the ground, using their backpacks as pillows.

 

Sang Jue began to miss the soft bed on his home planet, and the doctor’s bedtime fairy tales.

 

He looked up at the window. Tonight’s moon was dim, but there were many stars. Which one was his home planet?

 

“Can’t sleep?”

 

Sang Jue didn’t need to look to know who it was. The scent belonged to the mercenary leader—Bao Cang.

 

“You’re right, Andre really isn’t very smart.”

 

Bao Cang’s voice was rough. He had originally wanted to pat Sang Jue’s shoulder, but remembering that deviants should keep their distance from ordinary people, he sat farther away.

 

“He had a lover earlier who died the same way. He can’t handle it.”

 

Sang Jue wasn’t buying it: “That’s his own problem. He should have protected his partner from contamination instead of venting his anger on others.”

 

Bao Cang smiled wryly: “You’re right.”

 

Sang Jue ignored him and continued counting stars.

 

Bao Cang crossed his hands and rested them on his knees. After thinking for a while, he said: “Andre’s words were too harsh. Don’t take it personally—he’s just an idiot. I apologize on his behalf. If you need any compensation, just ask. I hope you won’t tell General Huo about what happened today.”

 

The implication was to let Andre off the hook, don’t whisper in the pillow—Bao Cang privately thought Sang Jue wasn’t the type to tattle.

 

But the little evil dragon didn’t play by the rules: “Thank you for the reminder.”

 

Right in front of Bao Cang, Sang Jue called Huo Yanji—the doctor had said that babies who don’t tattle aren’t smart.

 

Bao Cang: “…”

 

The first call showed he was in communication, but within ten seconds, Huo Yanji called back.

 

“Sang Jue.”

 

“Are you done with your work?”

 

“Not yet.” Huo Yanji asked, “Colin said something happened to you?”

 

“I saved a mercenary, but not only did he not thank me, he cursed at me.” Sang Jue added, “He cursed very viciously.”

 

“What did he say?” Huo Yanji asked.

 

“He called me a whore—” Sang Jue asked, “What does whore mean? Cutting off meat to sell? I don’t have much meat anyway.”

 

“…” Both Bao Cang beside him and Huo Yanji on the other end of the communication fell silent.

 

Sang Jue: “He also said my bed skills were excellent—”

 

Huo Yanji roughly understood, his voice dropping a tone: “Alright, no need to say more. I’ll investigate.”

 

Hearing such vulgar words from Sang Jue’s mouth was truly jarring.

 

Huo Yanji: “Is there anything else you want to tell me?”

 

“Yes. Your gun isn’t good to use—my hands and arms are sore. The cafeteria has no beds, and many people are snoring.” Sang Jue reported everything seriously. “I’m also very hungry. The nutritional supplements don’t taste good at all.”

 

Huo Yanji: “Bear with it a bit longer. I’ll treat you to a meal when this is over.”

 

Sang Jue obediently made an “mm” sound: “Don’t die. Stay alive and come get me.”

 

Having witnessed so many deaths along the way, Sang Jue was also affected. If Huo Yanji died too, he’d have no friends again.

 

Friends were dying faster than he could make them.

 

After the communication ended, Sang Jue sensed someone behind him: “Colin.”

 

“I was just reporting to the commander, but got hung up on midway. I guessed it must be you.” Colin teased, “You’re quite good at acting spoiled.”

 

“I wasn’t acting spoiled. I was tattling.”

 

Sang Jue glanced at Bao Cang beside him—stupid humans didn’t deserve forgiveness.

 

Bao Cang: “…”

 

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)