Run the Plot Ch.10

Chapter 10: Who wasn’t invited?

That tear slid down his cheek, raw with genuine feeling.

All the subordinates shuddered!

They quickly and carefully tucked away their smiles, glancing at each other. Qi He—they’d heard about him: he was the one who had captured Ying Zhen alive, and a major contributor to stabilizing the base.

Drag down? Drag down what?

Drag down their leader for taking over an entire base?

The adjutant even felt his teeth ache a little: a promotion straight to colonel—how could that possibly be a burden!?

In the heavy silence, Yan Chuanbai looked at Qi He, his expression hovering somewhere between a smile and not. Then his thumb flicked lightly.

Qi He felt a sudden chill on his cheek.

That tear had frozen into ice, which dropped with a clink.

Yan Chuanbai said slowly, “You haven’t dragged me down. But right now… it looks more like you’re trying to assassinate me.”

Qi He raised a hand to wipe the shard of ice from his face.

He deliberately ignored the second half of that sentence. “As long as you don’t blame me, that’s good.”

Yan Chuanbai, meaningfully: “Wouldn’t dare.”

—The last one who blamed you has already been “optimized” by you.

Beside them, the adjutant glanced left and right.

He was actually quite curious about Qi He, so he craned his neck forward and leaned in: “By the way, you’re the one who took down Ying Zhen, right? What’s your ability? It must be at least S-…”

A gun barrel suddenly pressed across his stomach.

With a single motion, Yan Chuanbai pushed him aside with his gun, giving him a cold, warning glance: “…Be careful.”

Adjutant: “?”

System: [He’s implying something at you.]

“I understand.”

Qi He met the adjutant’s bewildered eyes and said, “He means—the more charming something is, the more dangerous it is.”

“……” Everyone.

“……” Yan Chuanbai.

A voice broke the silence right on cue.

Like a whirlwind, Yu Tianxing swept in, the hem of his white uniform coat flying high. “Aiya, sorry, sorry to keep you waiting~” He turned his head and spotted Yan Chuanbai and the others. “Oh, you’re here too. Do you still have things to discuss?”

Yan Chuanbai: “I don’t. Do you?”

Yu Tianxing cheerfully: “Oh, then let’s all go in together.”

The sensor door slid open, revealing a light-toned interior whose décor gave off a clean, refreshing feel. A potted green plant stood by the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Please, sit.”

Qi He took a seat by the table while Yu Tianxing brewed a cup of tea.

In the apocalypse, tea leaves had become a rare luxury. A steaming cup of tea was pushed toward him. Qi He took a sip, and a calming fragrance spread warmly through him.

He looked at Yu Tianxing. “You wanted to see me.”

Yu Tianxing studied him for a moment.

Surprisingly, he didn’t mention Ying Zhen, nor did he bring up Qi He’s ability. Instead, his tone was mixed with complexity and a touch of lament:

“Sigh… so you’re the one Yan Chuanbai brought to blow up my equipment.”

Qi He: “……”

Could he not phrase it like he was some kind of portable weapon?

Yan Chuanbai laughed unceremoniously, as if to echo his earlier warning of “be careful.”

Yu Tianxing paid no mind, propping his chin on his hand. “Just right, tell me—how exactly did you blow up my machine?”

Qi He thought back. “I just touched it casually.”

Yu Tianxing smiled. “…So you’re saying it was as fragile as glass?”

Qi He switched to a more consoling tone. “Out with the old, in with the new.”

A long sigh escaped him. “I am researching a new one…” Leaning back in his chair, Yu Tianxing gazed up at the ceiling. “From my observations, you should also be an S-rank. In that case, you should understand what I’m about to say:

Below S-rank, abilities are like pouring water into a fixed container—the volume can be measured with scales.”

“But once you reach S-rank and above, abilities are more like an immeasurable ocean. There’s no perceivable upper limit, and it’s hard to set any standards.”

He lifted a finger to point. “Right now, counting you, there are only four S-ranks in this base. The sample size is too small, and there isn’t enough data to support reliable experiments.”

Qi He fell silent for a few seconds.

Speaking of data—he had just measured a perfect “sample”…

But that was on the condition that he and Ying Zhen had engaged in a mental power duel—and that his spiritual power surpassed Ying Zhen’s.

“If it’s impossible to measure directly, you could perform reverse confrontations instead. That way, you don’t need a large number of samples.”

Yu Tianxing froze for a moment.

Qi He continued, “When I was breaking free from Ying Zhen’s mental control, the time it took me kept getting shorter. That proves that even above S-rank, there’s still room for differentiation and growth.”

As he spoke, he turned toward Yan Chuanbai. “Back then, you…”

His words halted abruptly—Qi He noticed that Yan Chuanbai was simply watching him in silence, his gaze deep and unreadable. Qi He adjusted his tone. “…How long were you under control?”

Yan Chuanbai’s lips curved faintly. “Less than a second.”

Yu Tianxing’s eyes grew brighter and brighter.

In research, he was a genius; sometimes a single sentence was all it took to illuminate everything.

With a sudden whoosh, he leapt to his feet and shouted for his assistant: “Xiao Lin! Notify the lab for a meeting—research direction for S-rank and above is changing—”

Then, in a whirlwind, he charged out.

Five steps later, he rushed back in, patted Qi He on the shoulder, and said, “As for blowing up my ‘precious baby,’ I won’t hold it against you. But once ‘Nirvana’ is born, you’d better be ready for it!”

Another thought struck him: “Oh, right—since you’re an S-rank now, once your identity card updates in a couple of days, move into the tower.”

After rattling off his words like firecrackers, he swept out again like the wind.

Clack.

The sensor door shut, leaving only two people in the office.

Qi He and Yan Chuanbai exchanged a glance for two seconds.

Yan Chuanbai rose first. “That’s all. Let’s go.” After a brief pause, he added a concluding remark: “Sometimes, the line between a madman and a genius is razor-thin.”

Qi He mulled it over. “You mean, he’s on the verge of losing his mind?”

Yan Chuanbai walked out with an easy swing. “I mean he’s on the verge of making something of himself.”

“……”

—

The next day, the new identity cards were issued.

[Qi He, S-rank ability user.]

Along with it came a door card.

It could open the gates of both the research institute and the tower, and it also carried his own room number: 28-1.

Qi He didn’t have much in the way of belongings. After packing up, he moved over straightaway.

The tower stood tall at the center of the base.

It was sunset again, and the glass exterior walls caught the dazzling light of the setting sun. From below looking up, the building appeared even more majestic and imposing.

Qi He stood before it, gazing upward.

He had only been here for a few days, yet countless memories seemed to surge forth. With a sigh, he said: “The last time I came here, it was…”

System: [When you had troops at its very gates.]

Qi He paused, then replied gently, “You exaggerate.”

But the fact that he had grown such an enormous “extra branch” without receiving any warning from the higher dimension proved one thing: as long as it didn’t disrupt the key events—that is, keeping Yan Chuanbai at Base I—the process itself wasn’t important.

“Let’s go.” Qi He stepped into the tower.

As his figure disappeared through the doors, a silhouette withdrew from a window above. Pale, slightly wavy long hair brushed behind them.

…

The tower had 32 floors in total.

The elevators used iris recognition, and S-rank authority granted access to any level.

Qi He pressed for the 28th floor.

The elevator ascended, then stopped. With a “ding,” the doors opened!

Outside the elevator was a single door. Though it read 28-1, an S-rank ability user was entitled to the entire floor.

Qi He opened the door, and the residence came into view.

The whole floor was spacious and minimalistic, with complete facilities. Most striking of all were the panoramic one-way floor-to-ceiling windows that encircled the entire space, offering a flawless 360-degree view.

From such a central vantage point, the entirety of the base lay open to sight—even the patrol zones beyond the gray walls could be seen.

Qi He looked out into the distance. “No wonder S-ranks live here.”

Rather than calling it a residence, it was more like the base’s watchtower.

He shut the door behind him and began unpacking.

Outside the windows, night gradually descended.

Only the energy conduits stretching out from the research institute and the floating crystal cores refracted bits of glimmering light.

Suddenly, two knocks echoed against the door.

Qi He walked over and opened it.

Yan Chuanbai was standing right outside the door.

He was still in his neatly pressed uniform, looking as though he had just returned from the military headquarters. His tall figure blocked out the light spilling from the elevator hall, casting a shadow across the entryway.

Qi He’s eyes flickered with surprise as he greeted him: “A rare guest.”

It had only been meant as a polite remark, but after their “going separate ways” conversation a few days ago, those words of “rare guest” somehow carried a trace of mockery.

Yan Chuanbai gave a laugh that was neither warm nor cold.

The system was astonished: [Yan Chuanbai actually came to see you on his own!]

Qi He: “Exactly, it’s practically like the emperor’s…”

[The emperor’s younger brother stepping into the Spider Cave.]

Qi He smiled faintly, his gaze as mild as an early spring breeze.

He stepped aside, indicating for Yan Chuanbai to enter.

In the apocalypse, such formalities mattered little—no need to change shoes indoors. Yan Chuanbai didn’t refuse, and followed him inside.

The expansive floor was lit only by a single row of light strips.

Qi He didn’t ask why he had come so late.

He poured him a glass of water, then leaned casually against the table, gazing out the window in a leisurely manner. Yan Chuanbai didn’t rush to speak either, simply standing an arm’s length away.

Neither of them said a word for a while.

Strangely enough, though his relationship with Yan Chuanbai wasn’t particularly close, just standing there together didn’t feel awkward or tense.

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze rested on him.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows stretched the vast darkness of night.

Qi He’s profile reflected against the glass, his eyes shining brightly, carrying a serene yet vigorous vitality that felt completely out of place in the apocalypse.

Dressed in white, he spoke in the language of data—one might mistake him for a researcher at the institute.

Yet only a few days ago, he had aimed a gun at an S-rank mental ability user.

Yan Chuanbai lowered his eyes, his fingertips tapping lightly.

The system was on edge: [The way Yan Chuanbai is looking at you isn’t right. Is he trying to pry information out of you again?]

“It’s just prying for words, not throwing a sack over my head.”

Qi He had barely finished when the other man spoke: “This is for you.”

An object was handed over.

A golden medal lay on a black leather glove. A metal chain was wound around it, accompanied by a ribbon sash.

“You rendered great service in stabilizing the base. This medal is Headquarters’ commendation for you.”

He had only dealt with Ying Zhen in passing, never expecting Yan Chuanbai to actually report it to Headquarters.

Qi He reached out to take it. The weight sank into his palm.

At the same time, the soft leather brushed against his skin—warm, brief contact.

Yan Chuanbai said slowly, “Don’t underestimate this medal—”

Qi He, curious, asked, “What can it be used for? Ten percent off base shopping?”

“The ribbon opens up. You can hang it around your neck.”

“……”

Qi He looped it around his neck. “I stand corrected.”

Yan Chuanbai’s lips seemed to tug faintly before he continued, “Headquarters asked me to see if you’re willing to join the military.”

So that was the real reason.

The plot ahead was still unknown; who knew what kind of madness it would bring.

Qi He shook his head. “I’ll pass.”

Yan Chuanbai didn’t press. “Alright.”

He set down the cup and made to leave. Qi He walked him to the door. The broad lines of his shoulders pressed against the uniform’s fabric, and just beyond them, at the end of his sightline, was the elevator hall.

Qi He asked, “Which floor do you live on?”

“The one above yours.”

The 29th floor. Ying Zhen had lived on the 30th before. The two floors above that likely belonged to Yu Tianxing and the other S-rank, Yu Jiang.

“You’ve met the other S-rank?”

Yan Chuanbai’s hand on the door paused slightly. “I’ve met him.”

Qi He was curious. “What kind of person is he?”

Yan Chuanbai’s brow furrowed ever so faintly. “…Hard to communicate with.”

“?”

He added, “Not the same kind of hard to communicate as you.”

“??”

Qi He looked at him calmly. “Honestly, your personal emotions toward me… they’re a bit too strong.”

Yan Chuanbai gave a low laugh. “That’s what you deserve.”

With that, he shut the door. Bang.

—

The next day, Qi He also took on a mission.

Outdoor missions required at least three people, and lately he usually teamed up with Ye Yi and Mo Jiayan. Meng Yan, however, had gone to the cultivation base—she felt she was better suited for research and crop development.

After finishing the mission and returning home, Qi He’s communicator chimed twice.

He picked it up to see a message from Meng Yan.

[Meng Yan]: I accidentally produced an overabundance in today’s research. They’re not only flourishing like a garden in bloom—they’re edible! I’ll bring you a bag tonight, okay?

…Flourishing like a garden?

[Qi He]: [Rice bowl emoji]

[Qi He]: Ok, come up and eat together. I’ll have security give you temporary access.

District A wasn’t far from the high-rise.

Qi He waited at home for a bit, then came a knock at the door.

When he opened it, a wall of greenery poured inside, nearly drowning him. “…!” Qi He staggered half a step back, only to see Meng Yan poking her head out from behind a mass of lush vegetables, beaming.

“We came to see you!”

“…”

He hoisted up a head of lettuce as tall as a person. “Please, come in.”

Soon the couch was piled high with armfuls of vegetables.

Qi He sifted through them, and while digging around pulled a tomato out of a nest of cabbages. He paused, then kept rummaging, plucking some scallions off a heap of potatoes.

He couldn’t help but marvel, “So this is what you meant by flourishing like a garden…”

Meng Yan ducked her head shyly. “Did I… bring too many vegetables?”

Qi He had already picked out some potatoes and radishes, washing them to make a stew. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Then let’s call Ye Yi and the others over too. Help me send a quick message…”

His hands were occupied, so Meng Yan picked up his communicator. “Who should I invite?”

“Just the few people in my contacts, send it to all of them.”

“Oh, okay.” Meng Yan typed up a short message, didn’t look too closely, and hit “select all” before sending it out.

…

Just past seven o’clock. Nothing much had happened today.

Yan Chuanbai wrapped up a short meeting at the military department, then left the research institute and headed back to his place.

Right as he was about to reach the door, his communicator buzzed.

It was Zhong Panqing from headquarters. Yan Chuanbai stopped some distance from the gate and answered.

“Major General Zhong.”

The routine greetings rattled out in a stream.

Leaning lazily against a tree, one hand in his pocket, Yan Chuanbai showed none of a soldier’s stiffness as he listened.

While he was still on the call, he saw Yu Tianxing coming back along the road.

Catching sight of him, Yu Tianxing beamed and gave a friendly wave.

Yan Chuanbai lifted his chin in a casual nod and kept listening.

A while later, Zhou Ziqian also passed by. Noticing him on the call, Zhou Ziqian seemed to mouth something like:

“…I’ll… go first…”

Yan Chuanbai frowned slightly, too occupied to respond.

Five minutes later, a small figure came bouncing along.

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze dropped. He vaguely remembered—the temporary teammate he’d met when first arriving at the base. An A-rank ability user, if he recalled right. What were they doing at the high-rise…?

Another three minutes passed, and Ye Yi’s figure appeared.

At last Yan Chuanbai straightened up a little. ?

That figure disappeared behind the sensor doors.

At last, Zhong Panqing’s call ended. Yan Chuanbai suppressed the odd feeling lingering in his chest and strode into the high-rise.

Inside, Ye Yi had just had security swipe her elevator access.

Yan Chuanbai stepped into the same car with her.

Seeing him, Ye Yi spoke up, “Colonel… Yan.”

Her lips parted as if she wanted to say more. But perhaps thinking they weren’t that familiar, she swallowed the words back, and instead reached out to press the elevator button: 28th floor.

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze fell on it.

Then he pressed 29.

Ye Yi immediately turned, surprise flashing across her face.

Yan Chuanbai: “…?”

But in the end, she said nothing. The elevator soon reached the 28th floor. Ding! The doors opened. Ye Yi gave him a small nod, then withdrew her gaze and walked out.

The elevator doors slowly slid shut in front of him—

Until a hand suddenly smacked down on the open button!

The doors slid back. Yan Chuanbai took in a deep breath, carrying that persistent, inexplicable feeling with him, and looked straight ahead.

Right across the hall was Qi He’s apartment.

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