EDEH Chapter 23

Sang Jue’s vocabulary was always chaotic, saying things with unclear meanings and ambiguous implications.

 

Perhaps precisely because Sang Jue was a child who grew up alone in ruins far from the city, with little human contact, he was so ‘socially clueless’—purely innocent in a way that didn’t seem human.

 

The cold tail was stubborn, refusing to release the wrist that didn’t belong to it.

 

As a deviant, Sang Jue was far too close to Huo Yanji at this moment. His sharp scales, alternately contracting and pressing close, seemed ready to cut someone at any time.

 

According to Article 17 of the *Deviant Code*, ordinary people had absolute self-defense rights against deviants who got too close, and after repeated ineffective warnings, could directly kill them.

 

Huo Yanji pinched Sang Jue’s chin, applying slight pressure.

 

But Sang Jue remained completely unguarded, even nuzzling against his palm.

 

…

 

When he woke up, it was already evening.

 

Huo Yanji opened the door. The awakened Sang Jue hugged the blanket and shrank into the corner of the bed, accusing: “What did you put in the bath water?”

 

He said flatly: “Intoxicating flower powder, for improving circulation.”

 

“Liar! The water clearly smelled like alcohol.” Sang Jue didn’t believe it. “Were you trying to pickle me in wine?”

 

“Pickle a deviant in wine to poison myself?” Huo Yanji lifted his lips slightly, mockingly repeating: “Only idiots drink bath water.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

That sounded familiar—seemed like something he’d said last night.

 

Sang Jue was somewhat dejected: “I didn’t drink the bath water.”

 

Huo Yanji asked: “Then how did you get drunk?”

 

“…” Sang Jue had never known he could get drunk from bathing. He hesitantly changed the subject: “Did you see my tail?”

 

Huo Yanji made an “mm” sound.

 

He held a set of clean clothes in his arms, along with a book: “Since you’re a deviant, why does your genetic test show pure human?”

 

Sang Jue said vaguely: “Maybe there’s a problem with the testing equipment? I also think it’s strange. When I got my ID card, they couldn’t detect my contamination index.”

 

Huo Yanji threw the clothes to him and turned to leave: “Put them on. We’ll go eat in an hour. Before then, finish reading the *Deviant Code*.”

 

Sang Jue quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Huo Yanji didn’t pursue the matter further—he probably believed he was a deviant.

 

As for the *Deviant Code* in front of him…

 

The little evil dragon disliked reading most of all. In the past, the doctor had to use gems or delicious food as rewards to get him to learn to read. Sang Jue lost interest after flipping through two pages.

 

He asked 007: “Did I say anything inappropriate to Huo Yanji last night?”

 

007 said: “You performed very well, only mentioning that you’re a deviant.”

 

Sang Jue: “That’s good. As for the genetic testing, I just need to deny it completely. They can’t find anything anyway…”

 

The doctor had studied his genes for over ten years without discovering much useful information. The humans on this planet certainly couldn’t discover anything either.

 

Sang Jue remembered Huo Yanji saying he didn’t like being deceived, and asked: “After learning I’m a deviant, was Huo Yanji angry?”

 

007 said: “He didn’t seem to be. He even tucked you in properly.”

 

Sang Jue flicked his tail—worthy of being his chosen prince, tolerant enough.

 

He lifted the blanket—he wasn’t wearing a single piece of clothing. It had been like this when he woke up, and Huo Yanji wasn’t beside him either. He didn’t know where he’d slept last night.

 

The little evil dragon had no awareness of possibly having lost his virtue. At least now he could show his tail in front of Huo Yanji.

 

Sang Jue jumped out of bed. His body, which had been aching last night, now felt completely refreshed, every pore comfortable and clear.

 

Huo Yanji probably hadn’t lied—he wasn’t trying to pickle him in wine.

 

The oversized clothes hung on him like an immature youth playing adult, wearing his father’s or brother’s clothes.

 

The socks were white, which Sang Jue liked, and a bit long, reaching up to his calves.

 

He still remembered Huo Yanji saying they ate cilantro paste for breakfast. Jumping out of bed, he fiddled with his sock while leaning against the door: “I don’t want to eat cilantro paste.”

 

“Eat something else.” Huo Yanji turned around, glancing over. “Put on your shoes too. Let’s go eat.”

 

The short boots didn’t fit very well, but they wouldn’t fall off once the laces were tied.

 

Sang Jue calculated the time: “Colonel Wei Lan said you hadn’t rested for three days. You only slept ten hours—is that enough?”

 

Huo Yanji made an “mm” sound—actually, he’d only slept eight hours.

 

Huo Yanji had woken up two hours ago and started handing over work with District Seven’s supervisors.

 

Sang Jue’s tail hung behind him, his waistband sitting below his tailbone, the loose shirt covering his slightly exposed upper buttocks.

 

He lifted his eyelids: “You plan to go out like this?”

 

“No—” Sang Jue shook his head. He just wanted to keep his tail out a bit longer. “Can you touch it? It’s been so long since anyone touched it.”

 

Huo Yanji asked flatly: “How many pages of the *Deviant Code* did you read?”

 

“…I know that deviants can’t have overly intimate contact with ordinary people.” Sang Jue’s tail drooped down, but he was just a little evil dragon disguised as a deviant.

 

“Come here.” Huo Yanji said, “Just this once, it won’t happen again.”

 

Sang Jue immediately moved over and turned his back to Huo Yanji.

 

He really liked having his tail touched, but not just anyone could touch it. In the past, he only let the doctor touch it.

 

Huo Yanji put on black gloves, his slender fingers gripping the base of Sang Jue’s tail—Sang Jue’s whole body shuddered as he quickly pulled his tail away, covering the spot Huo Yanji had just touched with his hand, his ears turning red.

 

“Not like that…” The doctor had said not to let people touch him that way. She usually just soothed him by stroking the scales in the middle section of his tail.

 

“Then how?” Huo Yanji glanced at the time and asked leisurely.

 

Sang Jue always felt Huo Yanji was doing it on purpose—very mean.

 

Friendship points deducted by 100.

 

He awkwardly demonstrated with his hand: “You can’t touch the tail tip or the base.”

 

“So many requirements.”

 

Huo Yanji gripped the middle of the tail and stroked downward. The scales that had been slightly raised from nervous sensitivity gradually flattened, and the tail tip curled up contentedly.

 

Sang Jue was pleased.

 

He really wanted to purr like a cat or bubble like a fish—but he could only make dragon roars.

 

Afraid of scaring Huo Yanji, he didn’t roar.

 

He’d have to retract his tail when going out, otherwise other people would be very confused if they discovered he suddenly had an extra tail.

 

District Seven had returned to tranquility. The rain had stopped, leaving a damp atmosphere.

 

The evening glow was brilliant, with red-purple halos casting warm tones evenly across the gray buildings.

 

Though it was evening like yesterday, the difference was that residents could now walk freely on the streets, or lie peacefully in their beds at home, or have a drink or two at roadside taverns.

 

The cafeteria closest to the residential building had been designated for the rescue team’s exclusive use. There weren’t many people now, especially the supervisors who had been busy all night and hadn’t woken up yet.

 

Huo Yanji had very bland tastes and directly handed the menu to Sang Jue.

 

Sang Jue said seriously: “You still owe me a meal.”

 

Huo Yanji: “So?”

 

Sang Jue, who hadn’t had good food for three or four days, confirmed: “Are you treating me to this meal?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “I can.”

 

Sang Jue immediately became interested in all the dishes: “Is this mushroom sauce good?”

 

Huo Yanji: “Not bad with rice.”

 

“Are fried black cicadas insects?”

 

“Sort of.”

 

Sang Jue ordered everything he was interested in. As long as it tasted good, he could definitely finish it all.

 

Huo Yanji watched from the side, occasionally answering Sang Jue’s questions. When paying, his account was suddenly reduced by dozens of coins—enough to cover a frugal person’s meals for a week.

 

Many eyes fell on them. Passing soldiers or supervisors would salute: “Sir.”

 

Moving through the crowd, Huo Yanji and Sang Jue sat in a corner.

 

Sang Jue was curious about every dish, as if he’d never seen them before. He would carefully taste a small bite first, then take more if it was good.

 

Huo Yanji took everything in and asked: “Are your parents still alive?”

 

Sang Jue: “…No.”

 

Huo Yanji: “How did they die?”

 

Sang Jue’s knowledge of this planet’s monsters was really limited, so he could only make something up based on his own experience: “They entered a spore infection zone…”

 

Huo Yanji’s attitude was casual, as if just chatting: “What creature’s spores?”

 

Sang Jue: “Lingzhi mushrooms.”

 

Huo Yanji’s eyebrows moved slightly.

 

“There shouldn’t be much food in the ruins. How did you usually feed yourself?”

 

“I’m very easy to feed.” Meeting Huo Yanji’s gaze, Sang Jue said with little confidence, “I really am very easy to feed.”

 

Huo Yanji subtly curved his lips: “One meal for you equals ten meals for others.”

 

Sang Jue puffed his cheeks: “You think I eat too much.”

 

“No.” Huo Yanji denied it casually. “How did you sleep last night? Did you dream?”

 

“I don’t think so.” Sang Jue asked puzzledly, “Where did you sleep last night?”

 

Huo Yanji: “The sofa.”

 

Sang Jue: “The sofa is so narrow. Couldn’t you sleep on the bed? I don’t move around when I sleep.”

 

Huo Yanji’s voice was flat: “You seem to lack self-awareness.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

After being stared at, Huo Yanji said: “You weren’t wearing any clothes. How could I sleep there?”

 

Sang Jue: “You could have just helped me put some on.”

 

“…” Huo Yanji changed the subject. “Let me test you—what’s the safe social distance between people?”

 

Sang Jue: “I don’t know…”

 

Huo Yanji: “The distance between regular friends should be 0.5 to 1 meter—while clothed.”

 

Sang Jue: “Oh…”

 

Huo Yanji asked again: “Do you know what the safe social distance is between deviants and non-deviants?”

 

Sang Jue’s eating movements slowed as he hesitantly shook his head.

 

Huo Yanji was like a teacher: “I told you to read the *Deviant Code*, but you obviously didn’t read more than two pages.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

Huo Yanji: “It’s over 3 meters—while clothed.”

 

…Why did he keep emphasizing “while clothed”?

 

Huo Yanji continued: “If you were also an ordinary person and invited me to help dress you while you were unconscious, I might understand it as you seducing me, and then fulfill your wish.”

 

Sang Jue was stunned.

 

“But you’re a deviant.” Huo Yanji emphasized the word “deviant” and said flatly, “Inviting me to help dress you while unconscious, I could interpret as you about to lose control, intending to lure me close to contaminate me—and then kill you.”

 

Sang Jue didn’t know what to say anymore: “I didn’t…”

 

“I know.”

 

Huo Yanji spoke like he was giving a biology lesson: “Since you’re a deviant, you must learn to keep your distance from people. And never lose consciousness in front of any man and then invite him to help you dress—eighty percent of people would bully you until you couldn’t speak.”

 

“Then I’ll bully them back.” Sang Jue had no awareness of what ‘bullying’ meant. “I’m very capable too.”

 

“But you lost consciousness.” Sang Jue had only eaten half his meal while Huo Yanji had already finished dinner. He wiped the corner of his mouth. “If I had wanted to kill you last night, you would have died thousands and thousands of times.”

 

“That’s because I trust you. Otherwise I wouldn’t run around everywhere with you.” Sang Jue felt frustrated. “Besides, it’s not like I wanted to lose consciousness. I didn’t know bath water could make someone drunk!”

 

Huo Yanji confirmed once more: “You really didn’t drink the bath water?”

 

Sang Jue pressed his lips together: “No!”

 

Huo Yanji said calmly: “Not bad, you’re not actually stupid.”

 

“…”

 

Sang Jue felt like Huo Yanji had become mean, always calling him stupid and bullying him.

 

He suddenly thought: “How did you suddenly know I had a tail yesterday?”

 

Of course it was because the little evil dragon had let it slip when he called with a fever. Huo Yanji wasn’t sure if it was real or delirious talk. He lifted his lips slightly and answered: “Just tricked you.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

Despicable human.

 

Sang Jue suddenly realized he couldn’t completely trust humans who smelled ‘nice,’ and couldn’t completely trust friends either. Humans could be very mean to friends too, playing tricks.

 

Sang Jue put down his chopsticks: “You said you don’t like people lying to you, but you lied to me.”

 

Huo Yanji asked: “What did I lie about?”

 

After learning that Huo Yanji had slept on the sofa last night, Sang Jue finally realized: “The assigned accommodation really is two people per room, but you’re a general. The room District Seven arranged for you is clearly for one person, with only a single bed.”

 

Huo Yanji let out a breathy laugh that lasted only a second: “Really smart.”

 

The mocking tone was obvious.

 

Sang Jue ate with his head down, deciding to break off their friendship for one hour.

 

After finishing his meal, he consciously took his tray to the collection area: “Can I go out for a walk?”

 

Huo Yanji would definitely have work to handle tonight and wouldn’t have time to watch him.

 

Huo Yanji washed his hands: “Of course. As long as you don’t commit crimes, I have no right to restrict your freedom.”

 

Sang Jue blinked and suddenly showed a somewhat dejected expression—at least it looked dejected to outsiders.

 

He said quietly: “Sorry… I’m used to it.”

 

The little evil dragon had never been free.

 

The range he could move in before was only the research base on his home planet. Many interesting scenery that others experienced firsthand, he could only look at online.

 

Only Dr. Anya had given him relative freedom and trust.

 

She allowed him to play alone in the forests within the base area, to jump around the nearby streams, but everything was actually within surveillance range—an evil dragon’s senses were very sharp.

 

The doctor told him that no matter where he went, he had to tell his guardian first. This was the most basic principle for children.

 

But Sang Jue wasn’t a child anymore. He had come of age a few months ago and had even left Dr. Anya’s side to come to an unknown distant planet. He…

 

He no longer had a guardian.

 

Huo Yanji asked: “Where do you want to go?”

 

The little evil dragon was easy to please: “Anywhere is fine. I just don’t want to go back so soon.”

 

Huo Yanji walked toward the distant rail station: “If you don’t mind being bored, you can come with me.”

 

Sang Jue quickly caught up: “Where are you going?”

 

Huo Yanji: “The research institute.”

 

Sang Jue tilted his head as he walked: “If you need to discuss any classified matters with someone, give me a look and I’ll avoid the situation.”

 

Huo Yanji didn’t speak.

 

Never mind that there were no classified matters to discuss—even if there were, could Sang Jue really understand the looks people gave him?

 

The Seventh Safe Zone had fewer residents than the main city, and with this wave of disasters, they had lost a large population.

 

Only a few pedestrians could occasionally be seen on the streets, creating a very desolate atmosphere in the dim night.

 

Every two hours, cold broadcasts would echo through the streets: “Residents who have lost their ID cards, please go to the Creation Office to get replacements as soon as possible—Residents who have lost their ID cards, please go to the Creation Office to get replacements as soon as possible.”

 

“Did you bring your ID card?”

 

“I brought it.”

 

Usually after a contaminant attack, many people would die and many would lose their ID cards, so patrol teams wouldn’t check residents’ ID cards for the next two days. This was common knowledge.

 

But Sang Jue didn’t have this common knowledge and instinctively carried his with him.

 

Huo Yanji: “Get on.”

 

District Seven’s rail cars had also resumed normal operation, but only Sang Jue and Huo Yanji were on this car.

 

He pressed against the window: “Do you come to District Seven often?”

 

“Twice a year, for necessary military exchanges.”

 

Sang Jue had many curious questions: “Is District Seven’s research institute as big as the main city’s?”

 

“A bit bigger.” Huo Yanji explained the history. “Originally, none of the safe zones had individual research institutes. There was a research base located outside the safe zones, covering an area one-third the size of District Seven.”

 

“It’s gone now?”

 

Huo Yanji made an “mm” sound: “It was half destroyed by the Meteor Season, then experienced a massive-scale contaminant wave attack and was completely lost.”

 

Sang Jue guessed: “Was it Waste Water?”

 

He had heard about this place several times.

 

Huo Yanji made an “mm” sound.

 

Sang Jue: “The multi-headed, multi-headed thing that dragged Colin away…”

 

Huo Yanji: “Mutant multi-headed velvet bubble green fungus.”

 

“…” Sang Jue still couldn’t remember. “Did it also come from Waste Water?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “Possibly.”

 

In fact, this trip to the research institute was precisely about this matter.

 

The rail car arrived at the station. A female voice announced: “Research Institute Station has been reached. Please disembark in an orderly manner.”

 

Sang Jue got off and looked up and down at this very familiar building. Wasn’t this the building he had seen yesterday when looking for the spacecraft?!

 

Sure enough, humans had stolen his spacecraft and wanted to open it for research.

 

Dreaming.

 

The research institute was bustling with people coming and going, everyone extremely busy. Although this avian contaminant attack had brought many casualties, it had also brought many resources and experimental samples.

 

Especially the honey-guides, this newly appeared species, which still needed much observation.

 

Entering the elevator, Sang Jue had thought they would go to the upper floors, but unexpectedly they descended to the seventh underground level.

 

Huo Yanji walked at an even pace, neither fast nor slow: “District Seven has the deepest underground excavation aside from the main city.”

 

“How many levels are there?”

 

“Regular urban areas only have five underground levels. This research institute area has nine underground levels.”

 

Sang Jue looked around and discovered many strange-looking creatures: “That deer is so beautiful!”

 

This deer was the same size as an ordinary deer, with no obvious aberrant characteristics, except that its limbs and antlers were entwined with fine vines. The vine root systems were interwoven with its flesh and blood, blooming purple and blue-black flowers.

 

It looked like it had just emerged from hell—magnificent yet fallen.

 

“Lost Deer, one of the few contaminated creatures worth appreciating after the collapse. Its contamination desire is very low—”

 

Before he could finish, the Lost Deer that had been resting with its head down suddenly became agitated, charging fiercely toward Sang Jue’s direction. Its hard antlers struck the even harder glass.

 

“Clang!”

 

“…” Huo Yanji continued his unfinished words, “Female deer have a few days of irritability each month.”

 

Sang Jue pulled at Huo Yanji’s clothing and dragged him forward: “Then let’s go quickly.”

 

“Coward.”

 

“I’m not a coward.”

 

He was just afraid that if they stayed longer, Huo Yanji would discover something wrong with him. He probably wasn’t suitable for places like research institutes, since they were full of contaminants for research, and every contaminant wanted to devour him.

 

“General.” Wei Lan approached and saluted, “The genetic test results are out.”

 

Wei Lan handed Huo Yanji the genetic report of the mutant multi-headed velvet bubble green fungus found in the sewers: “It matches the mother strain genes from Waste Water. It’s confirmed to be green fungus reproduced from the mother strain preserved back then.”

 

Huo Yanji didn’t look surprised: “Waste Water has been lost for sixty years.”

 

Wei Lan said: “Since it was first lost, we’ve sent teams to observe Waste Water almost every year. No one has ever successfully entered the central area.”

 

But this basic report told them that someone had actually brought the green fungus mother strain out from Waste Water’s central experimental area. This was too incredible.

 

Huo Yanji walked to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking toward the northwest.

 

The Waste Water experimental area was about a thousand kilometers away.

 

Huo Yanji lowered his eyes, closed the report, turned around and said: “Report to the Supreme Council. Let them make the decision.”

 

“Yes.” Wei Lan glanced at Sang Jue beside them and took out an evidence bag to hand to Huo Yanji, “Your sidearm.”

 

Sang Jue was startled. This gun had originally been on him and was lost when he was dragged into the sewers by the green fungus.

 

Wei Lan finding this gun meant she had specifically gone down after the sewer fires were extinguished.

 

What had she gone down to do… surely not to find Huo Yanji’s already charred sidearm.

 

Huo Yanji wasn’t surprised. He took the sidearm and said: “Don’t waste time on meaningless things.”

 

“It’s not completely meaningless.” Wei Lan said in a low voice, “Colin and Sang Jue were dragged down one after the other. Using your sidearm’s location as the center, I searched within a ten-kilometer radius and found no trace of Colin’s remains.”

 

Even if he had been burned to death, at least his bones would remain.

 

Huo Yanji looked at her, as if all thoughts had nowhere to hide.

 

“I’m not doing this because of personal feelings.” Wei Lan’s voice was neither humble nor arrogant, but she unconsciously averted her gaze, “Just as an eight-year comrade… doing my utmost in search and rescue.”

 

Huo Yanji’s voice was ice-cold: “What, do you want to end up like Huo Jiangmin did back then?”

 

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