TYMIMA Chapter 77

The monster’s crimson eyes stared maliciously at Zhan Pingchuan. Suddenly, its upper body pressed to the ground whilst its thick tail whipped up, heading straight for Zhan Pingchuan’s neck.

 

The monster’s speed was extremely fast. A sharp wind cut through as the long tail reached Zhan Pingchuan’s ear.

 

“Hey!” Old Bang gasped, about to rush forward to rescue him.

 

He saw Zhan Pingchuan slightly tilt his head without even moving position, and that tail was suddenly severed in mid-air, falling to the ground in two pieces.

 

Old Bang was stunned again.

 

He hadn’t seen anything at all, yet the monster was already cut.

 

This meant Zhan Pingchuan’s ability level was far above his own.

 

The silver thread vanished instantly. The tail’s cut surface was perfectly smooth—grey-red flesh and bright red blood poured from the cut, staining large patches of staghorn fern. The emerald leaves seemed corroded by acid, making sizzling sounds as they slowly withered and turned black.

 

The monster roared skyward, opening its bloody maw to reveal a pitch-black throat.

 

Zhan Pingchuan was also puzzled. This thing looked like a radiation-mutated snake—what was so terrifying about it that those giant poison dart frogs would scatter in panic?

 

They were all B-level—who was more noble than whom?

 

He moved his fingers, and as the monster flew at him, he sent a silver thread through its mouth, directly piercing it through.

 

The monster’s black skin with eerie patterns developed a tiny hole. Its wide-open mouth finally crashed heavily to the ground, motionless.

 

“Dead.” Glasses straightened his collar, breathing a sigh of relief.

 

Purple-clothes: “Looks bloody disgusting, but it’s still a new type of mutant beast—we can photograph and report it.”

 

Anpa: “This thing’s also B-level, looks even more formidable than giant poison dart frogs.”

 

Just as several people were about to leave the barrier’s protection and approach Zhan Pingchuan, they heard him suddenly say: “Don’t move!”

 

Glasses and the others immediately stopped, looking over in confusion.

 

At this moment, the originally motionless monster suddenly began convulsing. Its body seemed drained of blood and flesh by something, rapidly shrinking. Soon, the huge triangular head was just hollow bone wrapped in lifeless black skin, with eye sockets sunken in.

 

Meanwhile, the tumour on the monster’s back grew larger and larger until it swelled to the height of a person. The blood membrane wrapping the tumour had become so thin it was almost transparent, unable to bear more pressure.

 

Finally, the tumour expanded to its critical point. Zhan Pingchuan quickly erected a barrier before himself. The next second, the blood membrane suddenly split open, dense blood vessels severing together. From the transparent, rice-paper-like blood membrane’s opening emerged a bright red arm.

 

Then more arms stretched out, clawing to tear the opening larger. Finally, a blood-covered person crawled out from the breach.

 

Soon, a second person crawled out, then a third…

 

The huge tumour disgorged thirteen people in succession, all covered in blood-red, dripping with viscous pus.

 

The first person to emerge tremblingly raised his head, revealing an emotionless, rigid, numb face.

 

“Holy shit!”

 

Old Bang saw the person’s face clearly and shuddered hard—not from fear, but from disgust.

 

This person was none other than the shameless tall captain who’d followed them.

 

Anpa was already covering his chest in physiological distress, retching violently.

 

Glasses still had some rationality left. He tentatively asked: “Did this thing just swallow them but not bite them to death yet?”

 

Purple-clothes shouted at the tall captain: “Hey, are you alright? Are you injured anywhere?”

 

Hearing the voice, the crawled-out people all raised their eyes, looking toward the sound.

 

“Save…” The tall captain’s throat produced a hoarse, rough sound as he slowly approached Purple-clothes.

 

Glasses sighed: “Sigh, we told you not to follow, but you wouldn’t listen. Brother Qi, Kyle, you two help them.”

 

Brother Qi and Kyle were the recovery system Awakened ones in the team.

 

Old Bang: “Hmph, let’s see if you’ll take advantage again in the future.”

 

Purple-clothes: “Forget it, forget it. They’re just students—young and don’t know better.”

 

Brother Qi and Kyle frowned, rubbing their faces hard before forcing themselves to overcome their disgust and walk toward the tall captain and the others.

 

Sticky fluid was still dripping from the tall captain’s body. He staggered forward to meet them but deliberately avoided Zhan Pingchuan.

 

The other blood-covered people also moved their legs, following the tall captain toward the recovery system Awakened ones, but without exception, they all avoided Zhan Pingchuan.

 

Zhan Pingchuan stepped forward, raising an eyebrow with a smile: “Why are you avoiding me?”

 

But no one answered him. The blood people hung their heads and again distanced themselves from Zhan Pingchuan.

 

In the air, gentian ability pheromones hadn’t yet dissipated, invisible energy waves circling around Zhan Pingchuan.

 

Zhan Pingchuan deliberately walked in front of the tall captain: “Mate, why aren’t you talking? How rude.”

 

Tall captain: “…”

 

It silently stepped back two paces, twisted its body, and planned to avoid Zhan Pingchuan again.

 

Zhan Pingchuan stared at it, suddenly bending down to get close to its face: “I say, are you afraid of me?”

 

“!” The blood person shuddered, nearly shaking its head off.

 

Zhan Pingchuan’s smile gradually faded as he said coolly: “Do I look scary? Should an enthusiastic, kind, upright young man like me be ignored by you?”

 

“…”

 

The blood person stiffly opened its mouth: “…Oh.”

 

“Oh what?” Zhan Pingchuan suddenly snapped his fingers. The transparent barrier shrank, hovering in the air like a brick. “You lot behind, listen to me too.”

 

The blood people kept retreating. The brick smashed down on their heads, so they dodged right. The brick slapped down again mercilessly, nearly flattening one blood person’s nose.

 

“…”

 

The blood people had no choice but to huddle together dejectedly, heads hanging.

 

Zhan Pingchuan cleared his throat: “Let me introduce myself—I’m from Desert City.”

 

The tall captain lifted its eyelids dripping with sticky fluid, timidly stealing glances at Zhan Pingchuan.

 

Zhan Pingchuan pointed at its forehead: “You—”

 

The tall captain shook like a sieve, nearly squeezing its eyeballs out.

 

But Zhan Pingchuan seemed oblivious, continuing to chatter: “I wanted to tell you when we first entered the underground city—do you think you only represent yourself? No, you also represent Harbor Tan university students’ spiritual outlook.”

 

Tall captain: “…Croak?”

 

Zhan Pingchuan sighed: “Do you know you’ve damaged your hometown’s image, leaving an extremely bad impression on me, an outsider? Look at me!”

 

The tall captain’s crimson eyes rolled up, making gurgling sounds in its throat.

 

It was obviously at the end of its patience, but Zhan Pingchuan’s power prevented it from lashing out.

 

Brother Qi and Kyle had now walked to Zhan Pingchuan’s side. Brother Qi patted Zhan Pingchuan’s shoulder: “Little friend, that’s enough. We’re a big guild—no need to be relentless. They’ll learn their lesson in future.”

 

Kyle snorted: “Expecting them to learn is like expecting the young miss to become a nun. Sigh, just consider it accumulating virtue.”

 

With that, Kyle was about to approach the tall captain to use his ability.

 

Zhan Pingchuan’s expression was extremely complex as he raised his hand to stop Kyle.

 

Kyle was puzzled: “What’s wrong, little friend? Actually, there’s no need to be petty with them.”

 

Zhan Pingchuan was confused, so he voiced his question: “Senior, may I ask if there are many naive, kind people like you in High Tower Guild?”

 

Then who was stealing toilet paper and removing car wheels? He must be very tired working in such a unit with inconsistent values.

 

Kyle’s face reddened slightly as he smiled modestly: “Don’t say that. Our big guild should have tolerance.”

 

Zhan Pingchuan: “…”

 

Indeed, conscience was like intelligence—if you weren’t born with it, you’d never have it.

 

Just then, sounds came from the forest again. Bushes were frantically trampled as a panicked, staggering figure ran out of the darkness.

 

“Don’t believe them! They’re not human! They… they’ve all been ground into mince!”

 

The short, stout captain’s forehead was bleeding, his glasses askew, covered in mud, his face showing extreme terror.

 

Brother Qi and Kyle’s spines went cold, instantly stunned.

 

At this moment, the tall captain knew it was exposed. Its body rapidly covered with a white membrane that squeezed off the blood and pus. Its features twisted viciously as it pounced at Kyle, making to grab his throat.

 

Almost simultaneously, a cold current swept over everyone. Temperature plummeted to minus forty degrees, and the damp muddy ground instantly froze.

 

Another blood person supported itself with one hand as the wildly growing staghorn ferns suddenly became sharp, hard steel blades stabbing toward Old Bang’s squad.

 

“Not good!” Old Bang roared. “These people are all transformed from that monster!”

 

By now, they understood this mutant beast’s terrifying nature. It devoured Awakened ones, assimilated them into its body, then birthed them anew. This way, its consciousness parasitized the Awakened ones, and it could use their abilities.

 

Though these Awakened ones weren’t high level, there were thirteen of them with highly unified minds, completely controlled by one consciousness.

 

The short captain cowering behind was pale as paper, stammering: “Dead, dead! So many people are dead! Even B-levels were swallowed!”

 

The only B-level recovery type in his team was now among the blood people, having just used its ability to heal one blood person’s flattened nose.

 

Purple-clothes: “Shit, this is trouble! They have a B-level recovery type!”

 

Anpa was also on high alert, loading his pistol: “Who knows what level opponent all these abilities combined make?”

 

Zhan Pingchuan kicked the hard, sharp staghorn ferns underfoot, frowning impatiently.

 

Surging ability pheromones gradually rose from his palm. Pale blue energy twisted the air itself. His eyes sharpened as he suddenly inverted his palm. Five transparent barriers were summoned from thin air like a prison, trapping the blood people inside.

 

“Gurgle…”

 

The blood people crashed against the barriers, cracking their skulls.

 

This time, Zhan Pingchuan didn’t joke with them. His five fingers suddenly tightened, and the five barriers violently compressed inward!

 

Squelch—

 

Thirteen blood people were forcibly crushed into blood plasma by enormous pressure. Crimson eyeballs were squeezed from their sockets, rolling to the ground.

 

In an instant, all manifested abilities vanished. Only a pool of thick, viscous liquid remained on the ground.

 

The eyeballs fell crystalline into the liquid.

 

Zhan Pingchuan walked forward, disgustedly picking up thirteen eyeballs and wiping the sticky fluid with thick staghorn fern leaves.

 

As he wiped, he answered Anpa: “Tested it—about A-level.”

 

Anpa: “…”

 

Glasses was first to speak: “Thank you, Zhan… Pingchuan.”

 

He was beginning to take Zhan Pingchuan’s strength seriously. This person was definitely not an ordinary university freshman. This person was very strong—his level might already exceed A-level.

 

Old Bang was still shaken, his sweatband already soaked.

 

He tore off the cloth strip, threw it aside, and walked toward Zhan Pingchuan.

 

He heavily slapped Zhan Pingchuan’s shoulder, his voice rough and hoarse: “Zhan Pingchuan, well done! You saved my life—you’re my lifelong good brother from now on!”

 

Old Bang’s thinking was simple. Zhan Pingchuan getting preferential treatment through connections wasn’t acceptable, but if he could earn genuine respect, then anything was fine.

 

He finally understood what the young miss meant by “back waves push front waves.”

 

“Hey, don’t be so polite, seniors.” Zhan Pingchuan rubbed his shoulder, numb from the slapping.

 

Purple-clothes asked quietly: “Classmate Zhan, your level should be quite high, right? Why does your file say A-level?”

 

Glasses glanced at him lightly.

 

Purple-clothes: “Ah, never mind, pretend I didn’t ask.”

 

Like Omega pheromone scents, level and abilities were sensitive topics for Awakened ones that most people didn’t want to answer.

 

Glasses actually saw that Zhan Pingchuan didn’t want to steal the limelight. He showed enough respect to the combat squad seniors, even being able to laugh off the contempt Old Bang wore on his face.

 

If not for the critical situation, he would have given Old Bang credit for slaying the new mutant beast.

 

For a young person to have such magnanimity and character was truly rare.

 

At this moment, the short, stout captain carefully approached, showing an ugly smile: “Sorry… sorry, eight people from our team got separated. Could you please…”

 

Before finishing his words, he suddenly bowed deeply, forcefully rubbing his mud-stained clothes: “Taking advantage of High Tower was our fault. We shouldn’t have followed despite being advised against it. It’s just that most people in the team are middle-aged and unemployed, the survival pressure is really great, we really had no choice…”

 

Glasses sighed softly, looking at Old Bang: “If those scattered people encounter new mutant beasts again, I’m afraid…”

 

Old Bang looked troubled: “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but when we fought the poison dart frogs earlier, the compass broke. Now it’s hard for us to get back, let alone find people.”

 

In [Rainforest] it was night, and they relied entirely on the compass to determine direction. Without it, they could barely move.

 

Glasses: “This…”

 

The short captain’s eyes dimmed. He gripped his clothes tightly, standing alone by the tree.

 

He didn’t belong to High Tower Guild. He could only watch from afar as these talented young people gathered together, just like the day he was fired from his company, carrying his box as he left the office.

 

He was often alone.

 

He was anxious, humble, yet still abandoned by fate.

 

His face still wore that ugly smile from when he was pleading. His anguish was soundless. He raised his hand to wipe blood trickling from his forehead, then smeared the blood on his torn clothes.

 

“Then, then, then…”

 

He repeated “then” for a long time without saying the next word.

 

He still couldn’t bear to give up. Even insignificant people like them had wives and children waiting at home.

 

Zhan Pingchuan pointed to a huge kapok tree not far away, pondering: “Should be fine. Following the marks I made, we can find our way back too.”

 

Old Bang and the others immediately turned to look. On the grey-brown trunk of the kapok tree, someone had carved a cute little fox ball with a knife.

 

Old Bang: “…”

 

Glasses said incredulously: “You’ve been making marks all along?”

 

Zhan Pingchuan said matter-of-factly: “What else? The early ones were ugly, but they look better now. This is number 233. How should I put it—carving really requires practice.”

 

Glasses marvelled: “So now only you know how to get back.”

 

Old Bang’s eyes lit up. He walked over and forcefully hugged Zhan Pingchuan’s shoulders, shaking vigorously: “My God, Brother Zhan, you’re not an intern—you’re the company’s lifeline!”

 

Zhan Pingchuan was shaken until he saw stars. He wore a faint smile, barely escaping from Old Bang’s vice-like grip: “Senior, let’s find people first.”

 

Old Bang suddenly realised: “Right, find people first!”

 

The short captain, hearing Zhan Pingchuan’s words clearly, finally brightened up. He grinned, smiling until his vision blurred: “…Thank you… thank you, thank you so much.”

 

On the way to find people, Zhan Pingchuan used his silver tongue to chat with Old Bang like they were brothers separated for eighteen years.

 

Zhan Pingchuan looked up at the canopy overhead, feigning casualness: “Brother Bang, do you know what the top floor of the guild building is for? HR told me my clearance level can’t get in.”

 

Old Bang scratched his beard carelessly: “Hey, never mind you can’t get in—I’ve worked at High Tower for seven years and I can’t get in either.”

 

“Oh.” Zhan Pingchuan raised an eyebrow.

 

Seven years.

 

The Black Lantern Society was established eight years ago. When Old Bang came to High Tower Guild seven years ago, the top floor was already classified.

 

Zhan Pingchuan smiled: “I’m just curious what position you need to reach to qualify for the top floor.”

 

Old Bang waved his hand: “You’re thinking wrong. It’s not that the level isn’t high enough—it’s that upstairs is the guild master’s home. Only the young miss, Assistant Lucas, Bodyguard Liao, and Doctor Zhai can go up.”

 

Zhan Pingchuan pondered: “Oh… I’ve only met Uncle Lu. Whose bodyguard is Bodyguard Liao? Is Doctor Zhai High Tower’s medical director?”

 

Old Bang: “Bodyguard Liao is naturally the guild master’s bodyguard. Everyone knows the guild master’s level isn’t particularly high, so he needs protection. As for Doctor Zhai, he’s not in the medical department—he’s the young master’s personal physician.”

 

“Young master?” Zhan Pingchuan raised an eyebrow. He only knew Lan Wendao had an Alpha daughter who played the field, but didn’t know Lan Wendao also had a son.

 

Unknowingly, the rival company had both children.

 

Old Bang shook his head and sighed: “I heard the young master has been seriously ill since childhood and can’t be cured. The guild master took him everywhere seeking treatment, even going to that… mortal enemy’s wife Chu Fu, but Chu Fu’s level was just so-so.”

 

Zhan Pingchuan’s face fell: “…” Say that about my mum again and I’ll break off relations with you.

 

Old Bang completely didn’t notice Zhan Pingchuan’s expression, still enthusiastically sharing inside information with his brother: “Later, the young master stayed on the top floor for treatment, never seeing people. The guild master provides good food and drink, saying his condition stabilised, but even stabilised, the guild master won’t let him come down to see people. I guess… live as long as he can.”

 

“Oh, how does Guild Master Lan… Guild Master Lan put it?” Zhan Pingchuan was quite surprised. The rival company constantly engaged in vicious, underhanded business wars—didn’t seem like they were praying for their son’s wellbeing.

 

Old Bang: “The guild master says it’s better than Zhan Qinghe’s unlucky son being exposed from childhood and getting kidnapped several times.”

 

Zhan Pingchuan: “……………………”

 

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 (advanced chapters available on kofi)