Chapter 9: Optimization
It was the moment when the sun dipped below the horizon.
The glass curtain walls of the tall building reflected the fading light, as a grand procession of A-rank ability users gathered in force.
The research institute and the high-rise were the very core of the base.
When this mass of ability users came crushing over the horizon like an army pressing down on the city, the patrol guards of the core zone felt their hair stand on end! They instantly raised the alarm—
“What are you here for!?”
The group halted before the building.
“The leader summoned us here.”
The guards exchanged wary looks, holding their posts at the entrance.
“You’ll have to wait.” One turned and went inside the building, while another hurried off toward the research institute.
Behind untainted greenery, the pure white structure like a bird’s nest was half concealed.
Qi He’s gaze lingered there briefly before withdrawing again.
While waiting, murmurs broke out among the gathered ranks:
“…They called us over, but won’t let us in.”
“Maybe there are too many of us. It’s crowded.”
…
Roughly three minutes later, a stir came from within the building.
The sensor doors slid open to both sides.
Ying Zhen strode out, still trailed by a sizable entourage. His crimson cloak flared with each step, and his eyes carried a shadowed gloom.
The moment he caught sight of the surging crowd outside, his expression turned dark as ink.
He stopped with his followers at the entrance.
One sweeping glance told him each person was holding an “invitation card.” In an instant, he understood.
Ying Zhen fixed his gaze on Qi He at the front of the crowd, letting out a cold, furious laugh.
“You. Are. Very. Good.”
Qi He nodded. “I know.”
“…”
A close aide caught on as well, whispering, “Leader!”
Ying Zhen raised a hand to silence him.
He had clearly been played by Qi He.
But with his pride and arrogance, could he slap his own face by admitting he’d been fooled by a counterfeit? Where would that leave his “authority”?
What’s more—
“You think this settles it?”
Ying Zhen and Qi He locked eyes.
Even if he escaped today, there would still be tomorrow.
The base had strict orders forbidding internal conflict, but time was long—Ying Zhen’s ability could quietly erase a person without leaving a trace.
The crowd had no idea what was going on, silently exchanging questioning looks: ?
Qi He acted as if he didn’t understand.
“What do you mean, ‘settled or not’? You call us all the way over here for no reason—what’s the matter?”
The crowd: “…”
So bold. Hiss!
Ying Zhen’s face suddenly shifted.
One hand was already resting on the mechanical rifle at his waist.
The system’s entire code was trembling:
[What are you doing now! Why keep provoking him!?]
Qi He: “With so many eyes on him, he can’t really do anything. I can use words to stoke his anger at will.”
He smiled faintly. “The time hasn’t come yet. I can’t let him send us away too easily.”
[? What time…]
The next moment, a shout rang out: “Ying Zhen!”
Another squad poured out from the direction of the research institute.
Yu Tianxing’s research uniform was still on his body, his sharp expression carrying a trace of anger. Behind him came a row of people in the same white uniform, each holding a firearm—standardized models, all the same.
Qi He said to the system: “They’re here.”
His gaze swept over the identical weapons. In the apocalypse, weapons came from all sorts of messy sources. For such unified equipment, there was only one explanation: they all belonged to the same organization.
His eyes shifted to a familiar figure beside them—Yan Chuanbai.
Qi He understood then: Yu Tianxing was also military.
—What a pleasant surprise.
Just then, Yan Chuanbai suddenly looked over.
When he saw Qi He standing at the forefront, his brow seemed to twitch slightly. Then his gaze moved from him, to Meng Yan at his side, and finally back to Qi He. Almost imperceptibly, Yan Chuanbai tilted his head toward the rear of the formation.
Qi He focused carefully and interpreted:
“System, he means: Meng Yan and I should take the majority of the group and cover the retreat.”
The system: [……]
[What he probably means is: you and Meng Yan should fall back.]
Before Qi He could finish weighing the meaning, the confrontation ahead had already ignited.
Ying Zhen’s hand still rested on the mechanical rifle at his waist, the leather glove sliding lightly along the barrel. He looked at Yu Tianxing.
“And what is Professor Yu doing?”
Yu Tianxing’s smile was cold. “I should be the one asking what Leader Ying is doing—”
His gaze swept the scene. “Gathering so many A-rank ability users in private—do you intend to rebel openly!?”
Ying Zhen froze for an instant, his movements stilled.
His thoughts spun a few times before he finally realized Qi He’s true intention! His eyelids lifted sharply as his eyes shot toward the culprit—
Qi He!
Qi He spread his arms wide. Caught between two interpretations, he settled on the middle ground: “Meng Yan and I will lead the main group to fall back.”
“We’re retreating, retreating! We’re no rebels!”
The crowd was driven back several meters by his exaggerated urging.
The system: [……]
Yan Chuanbai: “…”
It was as though Ying Zhen had been set up and pinned in place.
Yes, he had harbored ambitions—but not this suddenly, not now.
Yet he couldn’t deny it: the balance had been broken. If he gave ground even once, Yu Tianxing’s shrewdness would force him into a crushing disadvantage.
Ying Zhen let out a laugh, skirting the issue.
“Rebel? Rebel against whom?”
His eyes locked on Yu Tianxing.
“We’re both administrators here—what makes you the ‘legitimate authority’?”
The two held each other’s gaze for a few long breaths.
Then Yu Tianxing made a sharp gesture.
A squad of his people surged forward with a loud whoosh, cutting the A-rank ability users apart into two groups.
Immediately after, Yu Tianxing reached into the breast pocket of his uniform, drew out an identification card, and flipped it open with a snap:
“I represent Headquarters. I’ll ask you one more time—Ying Zhen, are you rebelling?”
The insignia of the military was displayed prominently.
Ying Zhen’s expression shifted slightly.
But after only two seconds, the mechanical rifle in his hand clicked into place, its muzzle aimed straight at Yu Tianxing.
“Yu Tianxing, you’re not even combat-class, and you want to represent Headquarters to take over the base?”
Yu Tianxing gave a cool smile.
“Of course it won’t be me taking over the base.”
Before coming, he had already submitted an emergency transfer request to Headquarters.
Di-di— Two sharp tones broke the silence.
Yan Chuanbai’s communicator buzzed in his hand.
He glanced at the message, shut it off, and tucked it back at his waist.
“There’s been unrest.”
Pinning a metal insignia back onto his chest, he announced:
“By order of Headquarters, I now assume command of Base I.”
Whoosh! The scene erupted instantly into commotion.
…
The upheaval came too suddenly.
Ying Zhen had poured immense effort into cultivating his own power, only for everything to unravel today.
The muzzles across from him all leveled on him at once.
Ying Zhen held their gaze for a second—then suddenly squeezed the trigger.
Bang bang bang!
Bullets fired in rapid succession, aimed directly at Yu Tianxing and Yan Chuanbai.
At that instant, everyone on the opposite side froze in a split-second of nervous shock—
Bang! Another shot overlapped.
The bullets in midair abruptly dropped, slamming into the ground and blasting out craters.
Several ice spears, which should have pierced their mark, were thrown off by the sudden plunge of the bullets. Missing their targets, they shot straight toward Ying Zhen instead.
His pupils contracted. With a swift motion, he swung the barrel of his rifle to block—clang!—and twisted aside.
It all happened in the blink of an eye.
Both Yan Chuanbai and Ying Zhen’s eyes darted toward the side.
Qi He had already loaded his gun. While everyone’s attention had been consumed by the gunfire, he had slipped past the defensive line and charged straight at Ying Zhen.
His ability countered Ying Zhen’s.
He intended to use this man as a test subject.
The system screamed: [What are you trying to do this time!!!]
“To prove you’re S-rank, you don’t necessarily need instruments.”
Qi He’s eyes gleamed as he fixed his stare on Ying Zhen.
“You only need to be stronger than another S-rank.”
—
“Attack!” Ying Zhen barked the order.
Victory or defeat—that was all that mattered now. His followers knew there was no retreat left, and all surged toward Yu Tianxing’s side.
In the chaos of battle, Qi He clashed directly with Ying Zhen.
The roaring muzzle spat bullets his way.
Qi He charged head-on, his body seizing for a beat under the familiar numbing sensation. A bullet whumped toward him—then dropped mid-air. He staggered, but the instant his senses recovered, he lunged forward again.
0.8s… 0.8s… 0.7s… 0.6s…
Ying Zhen’s cooldown was one second—and the control on Qi He was weakening.
Realizing he couldn’t injure Qi He, Ying Zhen immediately called someone over.
With a boom, a vine as thick as a man’s arm burst from the ground beneath Qi He, its ability striking his nerves with paralysis. In the split second when Qi He couldn’t react, Ying Zhen pulled the trigger again.
Click. No bullet fired.
Ying Zhen froze, glancing down.
Because of his gloves, he hadn’t noticed: the rifle’s chamber had been frozen solid, cold mist seeping from it.
Qi He had already slashed through the vine with the knife he carried at his waist.
The test was complete.
He unleashed his power—boom!
Every combatant on the field was slammed hard into the ground. The instant they hit, frost spread, locking their knees in ice. Thin vines shot out as if waiting all along, breaking through the ice to bind their wrists.
The soldiers swarmed in, surrounding the captives.
No one resisted further. Not because they lacked the strength—
But because they saw, right before them, Ying Zhen half-kneeling on the ground, with Qi He’s gun pressed firmly against his head.
…
A battle fought without preparation was destined to fail.
Yu Tianxing’s smile returned, eyes narrowed pleasantly as he clapped his hands, ordering his men to take Ying Zhen’s entire faction away.
The system had been dumbstruck the whole time: [……]
Qi He lowered his gun.
“See? As long as you break the rules from within, you can optimize the leadership.”
A flash of red swept past him.
Ying Zhen was being escorted away, but paused right in front of Qi He. Even now, he still didn’t believe he was utterly without chance—only that everything had happened too suddenly.
His gaze locked tight. “If it weren’t for you—”
Qi He replied offhandedly: “Without the past, there’d be no sadness.”
“…”
The system looked at Ying Zhen’s back as he all but trembled with suppressed fury. Feeling greatly balanced, it sneered with relish:
[See? One attempt at small talk, and you bought yourself a whole night of sulking.]
Qi He withdrew his gaze—only to find another figure at his side.
He turned his head and met Yan Chuanbai’s lowered eyes.
Yan Chuanbai studied him for two seconds before speaking slowly: “You dare meddle in military affairs too.”
Qi He said, “Didn’t you tacitly allow it?”
Yan Chuanbai must have realized he was only running a test—otherwise he wouldn’t have waited until the very last moment to act.
With a faint, derisive hum, Yan Chuanbai turned and walked away.
The upper echelons of the base had shifted.
Headquarters’ people stayed behind to handle the aftermath, while the summoned A-rank ability users began dispersing.
The crowd broke apart in twos and threes.
Qi He trailed at the very end of the retreating group.
There were still plenty of glances cast back toward him. Meng Yan drifted up beside him, dazed and incredulous:
“You actually pressed a gun to the head of an S-rank psychic ability user!”
Qi He mused, “Taking down a psychic makes a person feel a lot more clear-headed.”
Meng Yan: “…”
“Come on. The rest has nothing to do with us.”
—
Just as Qi He had said, the changes in the base’s leadership didn’t have much of an impact on the ability users.
In the apocalypse, the first priority for everyone was simple: to survive.
Those who had a life to live went on living it. Those who had missions to take went out on missions.
Qi He and Ye Yi’s group went out twice to kill zombies and came back with their packs brimming with spoils.
Two days passed just like that.
He was about to head out when he noticed a piece of cardstock slipped under the front door. Bending down to pick it up, he opened it.
A pop-up castle in pink and lavender sprang upright.
Above it, in neat handwriting, were the words:
“Mr. Qi He, I invite you for a small gathering on the third floor of the research institute, at three this afternoon.”
In the lower right corner was a doodle of curly hair and a cheeky note: “Haha~ It’s me, Yu Tianxing. ^▽^”
Qi He: “…”
He opened and closed the card. Opened and closed it again.
“System, the last time I got this kind of greeting card was back in elementary school.”
System: [To keep you from copying him again, he really went through quite some trouble.]
It froze for a few seconds, then sputtered: […Wait, Yu Tianxing found out you faked his invitation card!?]
“Those copied invitations can only fool rookies who’ve just entered the base. Two days is plenty of time for Yu Tianxing to dig into the details.”
The system’s code seemed to jam: [Why can’t you just stick to being Qi Shu?]
Always sprouting offshoots where there shouldn’t be any.
Qi He stepped out the door, modest: “I’ve still got room to grow.”
…
At the core district in the center of the base.
Two days had passed, but it seemed little had changed here—except that quite a few of the patrol guards were now wearing military uniforms.
Qi He arrived a little early.
The assistant led him upstairs first: “Mr. Yu is still in the lab. Please wait in the guest lounge for a bit.”
Then he smiled: “Your acquaintance is here too, so you don’t need to feel restrained.”
“…?”
The next moment, his gaze shifted into the spacious, well-lit guest lounge, where Yan Chuanbai was already seated. His uniform fit tightly over his solid frame, and judging from the epaulets, his rank was colonel.
Their eyes met. Yan Chuanbai raised his brows.
“Yu Tianxing called you here?”
Qi He walked over and sat down as well. “So you figured that out too.”
He leaned back into the sofa.
While they were waiting, a voice sounded casually from beside him: “With ability like yours, why were you always asking me for money back then?”
Yan Chuanbai’s eyes rested on his face.
It was as if he was scrutinizing every flicker of expression, trying to find traces that overlapped with the past.
The system grew alert: [Answer properly—don’t brush it off.]
Qi He mulled it over for two seconds, then replied, “I wanted us to have… a common topic.”
“……”
The system jolted: [Your idea of a common topic is money!?]
Whether Yan Chuanbai believed it or not, he only tugged lightly at the corner of his lips and said softly, “Then what about now? I thought we always had things to talk about.”
Qi He sighed. “I told you, I’m just not in the mood anymore.”
Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed from the corridor.
The conversation broke off as Qi He turned his head.
Several pairs of military boots crossed the gleaming tiled floor. The newcomers were all in uniform, their shoulders marked with rank. These had once been Yan Chuanbai’s subordinates, now transferred here to the base with him.
Seeing comrades again, Qi He shifted to a seat further away.
The group stopped in front of Yan Chuanbai, barely suppressing their excitement:
“Boss—cough, no, Colonel!”
“It’s great to be following you again.”
“With the takeover of the base, your rank went up too. You’re now the youngest colonel in the entire army!”
…
The atmosphere on that side was brimming with cheer.
Qi He sat on the sofa, sipping water as he listened in on the conversation. His gaze wandered toward the window, waiting peacefully for Yu Tianxing.
Suddenly, a familiar “beep” sounded in his head!
[System loading…]
[■■■ Load successful ■■■]
[Key plotline will begin in one minute. Host, please check immediately.]
Qi He paused: “……”
He knew it. So much for peace and quiet.
The system was beside itself with excitement: [This is the shortest plotline in history! The text isn’t even hidden by the black censor blocks on the display panel!]
Seeing Qi He’s eyes narrow, it quickly added: [But… this is also the one and only time the original host didn’t self-destruct in the plot! You don’t need to force a bug here. Call it a small blessing in misfortune.]
Qi He’s expression eased slightly. “Go on.”
[In the original plot, after following Yan Chuanbai to Base I, the host caused a huge mess. Since Yan Chuanbai had brought him here, he was forced to stay behind to clean it up, and that’s why he remained at Base I.]
[Now that headquarters has come to hold people accountable, you need to go apologize and humble yourself.]
The script was tossed out in a single line:
『The officers stand stern and dignified. You sweep your gaze around, then shed a crocodile tear in Yan Chuanbai’s direction: It was me who dragged you down.』
…
Qi He’s eyes sharpened as he sank into silence.
The system, guilty, went dead quiet like a chicken awaiting slaughter.
Meanwhile, Yan Chuanbai’s subordinates were still congratulating him.
An S-rank combat ability user, promoted to colonel at such a young age, trusted deeply by headquarters, and now placed in charge of Base I—his future was boundless.
Amid the chorus of congratulations, Qi He suddenly rose to his feet and walked forward.
The voices fell silent as everyone turned their heads.
Yan Chuanbai also looked over at him.
Qi He swept his gaze around: his subordinates’ faces were still glowing with joy. Every expression brimmed with envy, every pair of eyes shone with admiration—their delight was written plain across their features.
He drew his gaze back to Yan Chuanbai.
Then, taking in a shallow breath, he closed his eyes and forced out a single crocodile tear.
“It’s me who dragged you down.”
I can’t even close my eyes anymore😭
How embarrassing 😂😂