EDEH Chapter 64

Lance fell to the ground in embarrassment, making threats but couldn’t help backing away: “You’ll pay for your recklessness!”

 

“Maybe, but you’ll probably pay the price before me.” Huo Yanji said, “Today someone asked me if I had been tortured with finger screws before, which is why my shoelaces are tied so messily.”

 

Lance instinctively looked at his military boots, indeed a tangled mess.

 

“Although I didn’t tie the shoelaces, that comment gave me inspiration.” Huo Yanji looked down at Lance, “Your hands are well-maintained, very suitable for finger torture.”

 

Lance instinctively showed terror, curling his ten fingers into his palms.

 

He was considered a relatively young councilor, under forty, born in the underground city and rarely leaving for the surface.

 

His understanding of contaminated monsters was limited to documentaries. Even gun practice was for recreation, with no real combat experience. His hands had few calluses and delicate skin.

 

Huo Yanji gestured for someone to lift him up.

 

Lance rolled and crawled backward, his arms roughly grabbed by someone. He kicked his legs in terror: “You’re crazy, Huo Yanji! Are you really planning to break with the Court?!”

 

Huo Yanji sat down in the single sofa, deliberate but with an icy tone: “Why do you all feel so entitled to think that even if these filthy deeds are exposed, you don’t have to pay any price?”

 

Lance’s confidence returned somewhat: “The underground city is all ours. What right do you have to be arrogant?”

 

Huo Yanji didn’t speak, raising his hand to signal the soldiers to torture him.

 

However, before they even acted—just the gesture—Lance was already scared into closing his eyes and screaming: “The Vice Speaker is my father! You dare touch me?!”

 

“…”

 

After a long while, Lance only heard a mocking laugh. He opened his eyes, met Huo Yanji’s gaze, and his face turned white as he finally realized what he had just said.

 

“I wondered how trash like you got into the Court.” Huo Yanji said coldly, “Tens of millions of people are fighting for their lives outside, and it turns out they’re dying for you? What do you think you are, masters of the underground city? Playing hereditary succession now?”

 

He stood up, walked to Lance, and raised his hand to grip his throat.

 

Lance tilted his head back, his face turning red from the pressure.

 

The leather glove gradually tightened until Lance showed signs of suffocation and fainting, then Huo Yanji suddenly released his grip: “What is Article 26 of the Dawn Agreement?”

 

Lance clutched his throat, coughing violently. Fear forced him to answer the question: “To ensure Court members devote themselves to humanity’s dawn, natural reproduction with spouses is forbidden… cough cough… donating sperm and seeking blood relatives through the system is forbidden…”

 

Lance and Gode’s relationship seriously violated this principle.

 

With relatives and descendants, people would develop selfishness and various situations of using power for personal gain would arise—

 

For example, Lance, who should have been sent to the surface at ten years old, was kept underground and even entered the Court.

 

Huo Yanji looked down at him coldly: “Last chance. Confess everything clearly.”

 

Lance seized this opportunity.

 

He realized that Huo Yanji had completely lost control. Even if he couldn’t completely break with the Court, he could easily fabricate a reason for his death and kill him privately.

 

He told everything.

 

The reason the Supreme Court formulated “Dawn No. 2” was because the Speaker, Vice Speaker, and even many councilors were getting old. They feared death but had to accept reality.

 

They decided to gamble for a “glorious legacy,” hoping that when future generations mentioned them, they would think: “Under the Court’s leadership, under councilors like Zom and Gode, humanity dispelled the darkness and stepped into dawn.”

 

According to scientists’ estimates, if this environment continued, human extinction was just a matter of a few hundred years.

 

So why not gamble before they died?

 

If they won, they’d be remembered forever. If they lost, it didn’t matter—they were going to die of old age anyway.

 

Zom and Gode hadn’t expected such a major change on this trip, so they left no messages. The underground city probably wasn’t prepared yet.

 

Also, he really didn’t know where the other missing people went.

 

The Court had been in contact with rebel organizations everywhere over the years, sometimes cooperating on “good deeds” that benefited everyone.

 

“Dawn No. 2” was the same. The rebels didn’t know about this plan—the Court just painted them a rosy picture, saying they’d support them with resources to build new districts.

 

So the cooperation began—

 

Internal collaborators in safe zones helped kidnap people. For example, in the main city it was Old Herman, who transported qualified residents out through the city gates. Rebels would meet them outside, temporarily housing these residents while waiting for “chip implantation,” then truly beginning to execute “Dawn No. 2” by sending these people to various rifts.

 

Thinking about it this way, the Governor having the list was probably a deliberate flaw planted by Old Herman to lure Huo Yanji into investigating.

 

“But recently, several major rebel organizations lost contact with us… We don’t know their locations either.”

 

After confessing everything, Lance collapsed on the ground listlessly. Was the Court really going to hand over decades of power just like that?

 

Huo Yanji walked to the window where damp rain mist seeped in.

 

Lance probably wasn’t lying, so why did Saiya see Court soldiers, and Huo Jiangmin also see Court soldiers?

 

Was Huo Jiangmin really telling the truth? Why were the rebels out of contact and the residents’ whereabouts lost, yet someone delivered these hundreds of missing people from the main city to Rift No. 2?

 

Theoretically, only high-level officials knew about Huo Jiangmin guarding Rift No. 2—even main city residents didn’t know.

 

Across more than ten blocks, a building with a slightly pointed top sat in the rain—Huo Yanji’s apartment.

 

He looked for a while, then suddenly asked: “Why is the Court so interested in that aircraft in District 7?”

 

Lance was stunned, hesitating whether to speak.

 

But Huo Yanji just turned around, and he was so scared he stumbled backward, quickly saying: “Actually we’re not sure either, it’s just a rumor…”

 

…

 

Huo Yanji walked out of Lance’s detention area. Colin approached from ahead, reporting investigation progress: “I checked the central building’s entry and exit surveillance for the past two days. Every person’s identity has been verified—all fine, except these three people wore hoods and their faces can’t be seen clearly.”

 

Huo Yanji took the photos and glanced at them. They were already maximally enlarged, but the faces still weren’t clear—each person only showed half a chin.

 

Because they wore hooded clothing, their builds were obscured, making it impossible to tell if they were women or thin men.

 

“They left the central building half an hour, one hour, and two hours respectively after Executive Officer Lange’s suicide. Similar disguises, very much like deliberate decoys to confuse surveillance.”

 

Huo Yanji said: “Track each person’s route after leaving.”

 

“Yes, already in progress.” Colin hesitated, “When I was checking the central building surveillance, I discovered something else. On the day the ‘Dawn’ plan was revealed, the Court accessed the central building’s external surveillance and deleted a segment.”

 

 

“External surveillance?”

 

“Yes, I verified it. That surveillance camera was aimed at the Court’s residential building—this very building.” Colin said, “According to the administrator, the councilor who came for the surveillance specifically asked them if the duty personnel in the monitoring room had noticed any flying contaminants that night, like evil dragons or such.”

 

“…”

 

Huo Yanji turned around and kicked open Lance’s door.

 

Lance, who was looking in the mirror at his neck with a twisted expression, was startled. He backed against the table, his legs going weak.

 

Seeing Huo Yanji’s attitude, Colin knew he didn’t want to speak, so he asked instead: “Did you all access surveillance at the central building a few days ago?”

 

Lance breathed a sigh of relief, thinking Huo Yanji was preparing to kill him to silence him.

 

Surveillance wasn’t a big deal, so he confessed without much concealment: “That night, an evil dragon flew to my room…”

 

Colin looked at Lance like he was looking at a madman.

 

Evil dragons were contaminated creatures from the Blissful Eye area, with low contamination desire toward humans. They would only kill people they disliked, and would carry attractive humans back to their nests.

 

Previously, someone had produced research data showing that if all surface contaminants attacked human safe zones by contamination index level, evil dragons would definitely be last.

 

A single gem was far more attractive than humans. Give them a mine, and they might even communicate and help you kill monsters.

 

Of course, that last part was purely joking. Evil dragons were still among the most ferocious contaminants. They usually wouldn’t target humans, but once they did, death was certain.

 

Colin said tactfully: “Our sonic dispersal device is standing properly on the lighthouse.”

 

Lance was so angry he could spit blood. It was one thing for his fellow councilors not to believe him, but these two didn’t believe him either!

 

“I really saw it! I didn’t drink or take drugs that night, I couldn’t have hallucinated out of nowhere!” Lance was so angry his chest hurt. He slumped in the chair: “And I have proof—my ‘Dawn No. 2’ document is missing. It must have stolen it!!”

 

He hadn’t noticed this the day it happened. Only after the plan was exposed did he suddenly remember to check his luggage, and the document was really gone.

 

At that time he was already detained by Huo Yanji, couldn’t see other councilors, and couldn’t mention this matter. Of course, he didn’t dare to, fearing Zom would hold him accountable.

 

Colin frowned: “Wasn’t it just a person in dragon skin? What would a contaminant want with your documents? Are your documents made of gold?”

 

Lance said excitedly: “But just hours after my theft, that damned Old He’s daughter announced both Dawn plans on the broadcast!”

 

Colin felt this councilor had probably stayed underground too long and his mental state was somewhat abnormal.

 

He said to Huo Yanji beside him: “Sir, I verified with Shiwei that both documents were left by Old Herman at the relics management office—his copies.”

 

Huo Yanji acknowledged, then asked coldly: “Since no evil dragon was found in the surveillance, why delete that segment?”

 

Logically, whether found or not found, it shouldn’t be deleted.

 

Lance immediately fell silent.

 

Huo Yanji adjusted his gloves, saying deliberately: “You have two choices: confess now, or confess in half an hour when you’re barely breathing.”

 

“…Madman.” Lance cursed quietly, then confessed about having a male pet with a fluffy tail.

 

…

 

The corridor was full of soldiers guarding the Court councilors.

 

Colin walked while talking: “If there really was an evil dragon, the surveillance would definitely have captured it… Councilor Blake didn’t take drugs, did he? Should we give him a drug test?”

 

“No need.” Huo Yanji said coldly, “It’s been three days. If there really were contaminants, the city would have had problems already.”

 

Colin nodded in agreement, thinking it made sense, but still felt something was off.

 

Given the general’s personality, he shouldn’t let any potential safety hazard slide.

 

He didn’t think much about it and went to work after leaving the central building.

 

Huo Yanji stood under the eaves, looking down at the splashing droplets on the ground.

 

Until Norman called, saying: “I met with Huo Jiangmin. He doesn’t admit to releasing the green fungus.”

 

Huo Yanji hummed, rainwater hitting the puddles creating violent ripples. After a while, he said flatly: “If you’re using past events to deduce the mastermind, then I have the same suspicion.”

 

Norman on the other end suddenly fell silent, with only the sound of rain for a long time.

 

“You and them aren’t…”

 

“What? I don’t get along with them, like fire and water?” Huo Yanji looked away, his tone without inflection: “For us four to reach today’s situation, everyone contributed significantly.”

 

Norman: “…”

 

Four people? Who was the fourth?

 

Huo Yanji checked the time. This time shouldn’t be enough for Norman to make a round trip to the military district: “Where did you meet General Huo?”

 

Norman answered absent-mindedly: “His apartment…”

 

Huo Yanji immediately hung up, didn’t even grab an umbrella, and walked into the rain curtain to get in a nearby car.

 

The driver asked: “Where to, sir?”

 

Huo Yanji: “Back to the apartment.”

 

“Yes.”

 

…

 

Sang Jue propped his chin and asked: “So does Ji Ji really live at the manor usually?”

 

After less than an hour together, Huo Jiangmin had not only coaxed out Sang Jue’s nickname for Huo Yanji, but also discovered that Sang Jue was completely clueless. It looked like they were living together, but actually a certain general was just asking for trouble.

 

Sleeping in the same bed but not being able to really do anything.

 

“Mm, ever since learning about ‘Dawn’…” Huo Jiangmin sat on a high stool, swirling his wine glass, “We haven’t been back to these apartments for a long time.”

 

Sang Jue made a sound: “Why did he say it’s not suitable for entertaining guests?”

 

Huo Jiangmin shook his head with a smile, his eyes holding unclear meaning: “That’s a secret.”

 

Sang Jue asked: “Can’t I know?”

 

Even Huo Jiangmin, whom he didn’t particularly like, could know, but his first best friend couldn’t.

 

Huo Jiangmin smiled without answering immediately.

 

He hadn’t understood before why someone with Huo Yanji’s personality would like this seemingly useless little boy, but after just dozens of minutes together, he suddenly began to understand.

 

Back then, he, Bo Qing, and Ji Zhen had made bets about what kind of partner Huo Yanji would find in the future.

 

Huo Jiangmin bet it would be someone passionate and flirtatious.

 

Bo Qing thought Huo Yanji would hardly be moved by anyone and might be destined for a lonely life.

 

But Ji Zhen said Huo Yanji might like pure people.

 

Now it seemed Ji Zhen was right.

 

Perhaps because they knew too many secrets and bore too many responsibilities, they found it hard to dislike people who were pure as blank paper.

 

Sang Jue was such an existence—neither base nor noble, with no desire visible in his eyes, possessing an indescribable divinity.

 

But gods didn’t necessarily have compassionate hearts or kindness.

 

Gods could also be neutral, curious about everything in the world, indifferent to the birth, aging, sickness and death of all things, caring even less about humanity’s self-righteousness, baseness or nobility.

 

Like a traveler appreciating scenery.

 

Huo Jiangmin extended his wine glass: “Those who learn others’ secrets often die quickly.”

 

Sang Jue clinked glasses with him, took a light sip, and said seriously: “Then can you tell me just a little?”

 

“It’s nothing much…” Huo Jiangmin uttered a few words, then suddenly changed direction: “Forget it, let me bear the danger of knowing secrets alone.”

 

Sang Jue: “…”

 

Truly descendants of the same genetic line—both equally detestable, whetting his appetite then refusing to say more.

 

Only Huo Jiangmin was obviously detestable, while Ji Ji was more subtle.

 

Sang Jue decided to see his guest out: “You should leave quickly. Ji Ji will be angry if he comes back and sees me drinking with you.”

 

Huo Jiangmin raised an eyebrow: “He won’t be angry if you drink alone?”

 

Sang Jue said: “He’ll still be angry, but maybe less so.”

 

“…Thanks for the hospitality, the drink was well-mixed.” Huo Jiangmin reached the door, then turned back: “You seem very curious about Yanji’s affairs.”

 

Sang Jue: “Mm?”

 

Huo Jiangmin said: “Being curious about someone is the beginning of falling for them.”

 

Sang Jue said exactly what he’d said yesterday: “If the heart moves, people will die.”

 

Huo Jiangmin: “…”

 

Must be drunk—kids really can’t hold their liquor.

 

Sang Jue had a second half to that sentence he didn’t say.

 

He wasn’t human, so his heart moving wouldn’t kill him. It wouldn’t be impossible to let it move a little.

 

Huo Jiangmin had barely taken a few steps when he met a cold gaze.

 

Huo Yanji, with slightly damp shoulders, asked coldly: “Why is the General here?”

 

“Your cohabitation partner invited me in to sit. I couldn’t very well refuse.” Huo Jiangmin opened his own door and dropped a line: “I have to say I admire you—living and eating together for so long, yet you can resist not making a move?”

 

There was no response. The footsteps behind gradually disappeared through another door. As a deviant with excellent hearing, Huo Jiangmin vaguely heard Sang Jue say in a sweet voice after the door closed: “You’re back.”

 

The tone was completely different from when he’d been talking to him.

 

Not bad—not completely one-sided love, just the other party being clueless.

 

Sang Jue brought out slippers for Huo Yanji, plus decontamination spray: “Please.”

 

Huo Yanji said flatly: “Acting cute won’t let you escape the fact that you randomly invited people home and broke our agreement by drinking.”

 

Sang Jue carefully recalled: “You said I could drink at home.”

 

Huo Yanji took off his coat and went to clean up the bar table.

 

Sang Jue followed closely behind: “I restrained myself and didn’t show my tail in front of outsiders.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, his tail pushed out from his waistband.

 

Huo Yanji: “Mm.”

 

Sang Jue added: “I mixed the drink myself.”

 

Huo Yanji: “Mm.”

 

Sang Jue blinked: “I saved you a glass, in the fridge. Do you want to drink it?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “No alcohol during non-rest time.”

 

Sang Jue opened the fridge and took out a cocktail that was pale purple at the bottom and light blue on top, offering it: “Really won’t drink? This is my first mixed drink, specially saved for you.”

 

“…” Huo Yanji took it, looking down for a sip: “Rules say no alcoholism, I can only have one sip.”

 

“Okay.” The little drunk dragon looked expectant for praise: “Is it good?”

 

Huo Yanji said: “Not bad, who taught you?”

 

The little evil dragon was very proud: “Self-taught.”

 

007 had taught him, but he couldn’t say that.

 

When Huo Yanji wasn’t back, Sang Jue could stay sober, but after Huo Yanji returned, he completely became a little drunk dragon. Though his limbs were restrained, his tail was clingy, constantly coiling around Huo Yanji’s wrist.

 

The drink was sweet without being cloying, with a very light alcohol taste. Huo Yanji’s restraint showed in all aspects—after just two sips he handed it to Sang Jue: “After finishing today, no more drinking for half a month.”

 

“Okay.” Sang Jue took the more-than-half glass Huo Yanji had left and gulped it down.

 

He stared at the glass for a long time, then said: “You contaminated me.”

 

Huo Yanji: “…”

 

Sang Jue said: “You drank from it, the rim has your genes, and I drank after you, so I’m contaminated.”

 

Huo Yanji said: “You memorized the ‘Deviant Code’ well, but got the subject wrong.”

 

“Mm… that’s how it is.” Sang Jue’s brain couldn’t quite turn, his tail coiling around Huo Yanji’s wrist as he led him toward the room: “Sleepy.”

 

“If you’re sleepy, go sleep by yourself.”

 

“Need to bathe before bed. Can you run bath water for Sang Jue? He’s dizzy.”

 

“…”

 

Huo Yanji followed his pull to the bathroom, the sound of rushing water filling the air, making it hard not to think of the ‘dragon wine’ baths that drunk Sang Jue had mentioned twice before.

 

“Alright, soak for five minutes then come out.”

 

Before Sang Jue undressed, Huo Yanji walked out and left the door slightly ajar.

 

Although drunk, Sang Jue’s behavioral logic was still clear—five minutes meant five minutes. After soaking, he sat on the bed waiting.

 

By the time Huo Yanji finished washing up, it was already very late. Sang Jue sat in the middle of the bed, eyelids drooping, his upper body swaying unsteadily.

 

So sleepy, yet he refused to sleep alone.

 

As soon as Huo Yanji lay down, Sang Jue caught the familiar scent and instinctively sprawled on top of him.

 

Habit really was a terrifying thing.

 

Huo Yanji bent his legs, straightening Sang Jue’s position, and asked: “What did you and Huo Jiangmin talk about?”

 

Sang Jue answered: “I asked him how to torture the Governor, if he could share with me.”

 

Huo Yanji: “…What are you learning that for?”

 

Sang Jue nuzzled Huo Yanji’s shoulder: “Don’t know… curious.”

 

Huo Yanji: “What else?”

 

Sang Jue: “Mm… the Governor is dead.”

 

Huo Yanji frowned: “How did he die?”

 

Sang Jue said: “He didn’t tell me.”

 

After a pause, Huo Yanji abruptly changed the subject: “You said before that you don’t like smelly people.”

 

Sang Jue hummed: “Only like fragrant ones…”

 

Huo Yanji said flatly: “What about Huo Jiangmin, what does he smell like?”

 

Sang Jue didn’t speak for a long time, his tail swishing behind him. Finally, he buried his face in Huo Yanji’s chest: “He’s a bit fragrant, and a bit smelly.”

 

“…” Huo Yanji turned off the light and suddenly said, “I went to see Lance today.”

 

He didn’t wait for Sang Jue to ask “Who’s Lance?” or “What did you see Lance for?”—only a gradually softening breath against his chest.

 

The little drunk had fallen asleep.

 

He thought this time he could sleep until dawn, but was awakened again in the middle of the night by nibbling on his Adam’s apple.

 

Huo Yanji kept his eyes closed, gripping Sang Jue’s nape to pull him away, saying coldly: “Sang Jue, if I die suddenly, you’ll definitely take the most credit.”

 

Sang Jue didn’t respond, clearly unhappy about not having an Adam’s apple to bite. He kept trying to burrow down, his waist, abdomen, and tail all restless, moving around.

 

Huo Yanji asked: “What’s wrong?”

 

Sang Jue broke free from Huo Yanji’s hand, once again latching onto that Adam’s apple with more force than ever before, mumbling: “Uncomfortable…”

 

Suddenly, Huo Yanji felt something unusual and instantly opened his eyes, completely alert.

 

Biting the Adam’s apple, Sang Jue seemed frozen in place, motionless, prostrate on Huo Yanji’s body like a small beast about to hunt.

 

Huo Yanji’s voice was slightly hoarse: “Sang Jue, get up, go to the bathroom yourself.”

 

The little evil dragon biting his prey said unclearly: “Sang Jue doesn’t want to.”

 

**

 

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