Run the Plot Ch.30

Chapter 30: Third Evolution

The vehicle sped all the way toward Base II.

Qi He’s car was in the lead. Mutant creatures were everywhere outside; Yan Chuanbai’s ability spread along the route, freezing the underground soil to prevent any plants from ambushing them from below.

Qi He could now control two types of power at once.

While boosting the speed of the cars behind them, he also restrained the mutants attacking from both sides.

The scenery outside the window blurred into streaks of color.

Inside the car, no one spoke for a while.

Qi He glanced at the boy sitting quietly in the backseat through the rearview mirror — Xiao Hai, ten years old, Healing-type, S-rank potential, about to travel alone to Headquarters.

After a moment’s thought, Qi He tilted his head slightly and asked gently, “Are you nervous?”

Xiao Hai flinched a little, then nodded. “A bit.”

Qi He was just about to comfort him when the boy added, still a little shaken, “It’s my first time riding in a car this fast.”

“…”

Qi He was silent for a second. “Car sick?”

Xiao Hai replied sensibly, “It’s fine. I already healed myself.”

Qi He couldn’t help but praise, “As expected of a Healer,” then turned back and refocused on clearing the mutants along the road.

The military had stationed outposts along the route.

That night, they rested at one such outpost. The next morning, they resumed their journey toward the rendezvous point.

Around four in the afternoon, they finally arrived at the designated location — a station closer to Base II.

Once they got out of the car, the soldiers stationed there caught sight of the insignia on Yan Chuanbai’s shoulder and immediately straightened up, saluting in unison.

“Colonel!”

Out of the corner of their eyes, they cast another glance at Qi He — …not military?

Yan Chuanbai didn’t explain. He just gave a curt nod and walked straight inside.

The entire outpost was a small defensive tower.

Inside was a hall of nearly a hundred square meters, equipped with multiple functional zones and several rooms large enough to accommodate two or three firepower squads.

Yan Chuanbai went to make contact with the military personnel first.

Qi He sat down by a table. The people from Base II hadn’t arrived yet; he was gazing at the dark gray walls of the hall, lost in thought about the plot, when a soft voice suddenly spoke beside him:

“Big brother, what’s your ability?”

He came back to himself and turned his head.

Xiao Hai was sitting next to him, posture neat and proper. Perhaps due to what he’d been through, the childish softness of his face already carried traces of calmness and early maturity.

Qi He said, “Force.”

Xiao Hai thought for a moment, then said admiringly, “That’s amazing.”

Qi He returned the courtesy. “Your healing ability is amazing too.”

But as soon as he said it, the boy fell silent.

After a brief pause, Xiao Hai blinked and said quietly, “You all… so many powerful people escorting just me to Headquarters. If I can’t live up to everyone’s expectations…”

Qi He looked at him for two seconds, then offered seriously, “You can make them lower their expectations.”

“…” Xiao Hai.

The system couldn’t stand it anymore: [Don’t instill your workplace mentality into a pure-hearted child.]

“Learning to avoid unnecessary emotional exhaustion is a life essential,” Qi He replied, shutting the system up.

Then he suddenly asked, “What triggered your ability awakening?”

Xiao Hai was taken aback for a moment, then pressed his lips together. “It was… when my dad, mom, sister, and grandma all got bitten by zombies. I thought, if only I could save them—” he paused for two seconds, “I didn’t manage to save them, but my ability awakened.”

For a brief while, silence fell over the table.

Then Qi He said softly, “No matter what kind of ability it is, its purpose is always to protect. You don’t have to meet anyone’s standard. As long as you do your best to save more people, no one will blame you.”

A faint light returned to Xiao Hai’s eyes. “Mm.”

The system was momentarily stunned: […Your talent for talking people into things is unexpectedly well-suited for dealing with children.]

Qi He shook his head modestly. “I’ve merely grown used to being a guiding light.”

[Hehe.] The system added, [That wasn’t sarcasm. I was just calling your name.]

“…”

—

They hadn’t been sitting long when another set of footsteps approached.

Uniform boots struck the stone floor, and a clear, teasing voice sounded from across the hall:

“So this is Base I, huh? I heard an S-rank came along too—where is he~?”

Qi He turned his head slightly and rose to his feet.

Perhaps hearing the commotion, Yan Chuanbai also returned from the other side. He glanced at Qi He and said, “They’re here.”

Qi He walked forward and stood beside him.

The accompanying military officers waited behind them. Facing the entrance, they saw a group of people walk in—

A flash of striking white caught the eye. The young man at the front wore a light-colored uniform, standing out vividly among the surrounding dark military coats. His hair was a soft gold-brown, seemingly natural.

The group stopped a few meters away.

The young man greeted them casually. “Hi.”

Yan Chuanbai looked over. “Gong Lianyu.”

Gong Lianyu met his gaze and shook his head lightly. “Old faces are boring.” Then his eyes shifted, landing on Qi He with playful curiosity. “Oh~ so this is the rumored other S-rank Combat-type.”

Yan Chuanbai’s expression darkened, warning, “Gong—”

But Gong Lianyu had already raised a hand. “Here’s a little welcome gift~”

Snap!

A sharp snap of fingers rang through the air.

A sudden surge of gravity slammed down—

Qi He’s body bent under the force, his lashes trembling faintly.

Then, reacting almost instantly, he braced one hand against the ground, countered the force head-on, and flipped neatly to land on his feet. He lifted his gaze, eyes narrowing at Gong Lianyu—who was still clicking his tongue in amusement.

Bang!

A gunshot rang out.

A bullet shot from the holster at Gong Lianyu’s waist, striking the floor at his feet and leaving a scorched black crater.

Startled, he jumped back half a step. “What the hell!”

The soldiers behind him immediately drew up in alarm, weapons raised with a sharp clatter.

Gong Lianyu waved his hand lazily. “Relax, relax—don’t be so jumpy.”

Qi He slowly straightened, eyes fixed on him.

The other man also lifted his head again, carefully studying Qi He in return. After a few seconds of mutual silence, Gong Lianyu raised his hands in mock surrender.

He sighed dramatically. “Sigh~ Yan Chuanbai, the person you brought is so fierce. Aren’t you going to rein him in a little?”

“I can’t.”

Yan Chuanbai looked at him, the corner of his lips tugging upward. “Besides—you deserved it.”

Gong Lianyu: “…”

Qi He had never experienced his own power reacting like that before. Narrowing his eyes, he focused on the man opposite him. Yan Chuanbai had said this person’s ability was stronger than his—so that meant it wasn’t the same type.

He spoke, without hesitation: “Your ability… is replication.”

Gong Lianyu looked mildly surprised, then nodded in acknowledgment. “It is.”

…No wonder Yan Chuanbai had said what he did. Copying other people’s abilities and turning them against their owners—yeah, that was pretty underhanded.

Qi He remarked thoughtfully, “So there’s actually a pickpocket-type ability.”

Gong Lianyu: “…”

Everyone present: “…”

Gong Lianyu jumped to his feet in protest. “What do you mean pickpocket-type!?” He straightened his neck indignantly. “How can using an ability be called stealing!?”

The system gasped in amazement: […So he’s the real-life version of Gong Yiji.]

Yan Chuanbai let out a low, amused hum, then turned to Qi He to introduce, “He’s the general’s son. Annoying, but not a bad person.”

Qi He nodded calmly. “That much, I could tell.”

The other side: “……”

Gong Lianyu felt his chest tighten from sheer frustration. He waved a hand irritably. “Alright, alright, enough. Let’s sit down and talk business.”

Both sides finally took their seats around the long conference table.

—

It was a large table, with the two sides facing each other.

Beside Gong Lianyu sat a deputy officer from the military.

Qi He sat at the central position on his side, facing them directly. Gong Lianyu’s ability was quite special but hadn’t been classified as Combat-type—probably because it had usage limits and cooldown periods.

He could be considered half a Combat-type, maintaining Base II alongside another full-fledged one.

There wasn’t much to say about the transfer itself.

This meeting also served to exchange strategies and research progress.

“We’ve managed to increase the yield of our hybrid species by three to five times. Also, we improved the flavor of the nutrient solution—new varieties include green peppercorn and cilantro.”

At his signal, the deputy officer beside him slid a sample box across the table.

Yan Chuanbai was silent for a moment before taking it. “Next time, try improving something useful.”

“Ah~ ah~ next time, definitely.”

Qi He turned his head slightly and whispered to Xiao Hai, “See? You really don’t have to live up to everyone’s expectations all the time.”

Xiao Hai: “…”

Across the table, the deputy officer suddenly sneezed. “Ah-choo!”

Gong Lianyu chuckled good-naturedly. “Don’t go whispering bad things about us, Base I.”

Once both sides finished exchanging results, the meeting moved on.

The items they were giving out had already been tested by Qi He back during the prep stage. As for what they received—

He glanced over them briefly. Not the right place to test these.

He’d deal with it later, once they were back.

…

After an hour and a half, the meeting finally ended.

Yan Chuanbai, being the highest-ranking officer present, called a few other officers over to discuss additional matters elsewhere.

Gong Lianyu, having no rank high enough to join them, was left behind.

Qi He and Xiao Hai weren’t from the military either.

So for a while, the hall was left with just the three of them. With nothing else to do, they exchanged a few glances before Qi He turned away, fetched three bowls and a crumpled ball of paper, and suggested casually:

“Let’s play a guessing game.”

He flipped the bowls upside down, and with a flick of his wrist, set them spinning in a dazzling blur—

Xiao Hai gasped in amazement. “Wow!”

Gong Lianyu, eager to try, used his own “strength” to spin them too, but his movements were clumsy and uneven. “…Huh? Why isn’t mine as smooth as yours?”

Qi He gave him a sidelong glance, resisting the urge to point out that his mental control was weaker.

After a moment’s thought, he said matter-of-factly, “Because the pirated version can’t beat the original.”

Both: “…”

Gong Lianyu seemed visibly wounded, stood up, and drifted off in dejection. Qi He continued playing with Xiao Hai; a while later, Gong Lianyu reappeared out of nowhere, this time beaming, holding three popsicles in hand.

“Come on! I went and borrowed Yan Chuanbai’s ability.”

“…” Qi He was genuinely impressed.

The popsicles were made from frozen sugar water — the first he’d tasted since the apocalypse began. Qi He shook his head with a sigh. “These were frozen by Yan Chuanbai himself. I’ve never even had one before.”

He couldn’t believe it — he’d eaten the pirated version first.

Gong Lianyu clicked his tongue. “That guy’s way too stiff. Doesn’t even know how to make people happy.”

Qi He paused.

‘…Why would Yan Chuanbai need to make people happy?’

His expression must have given him away.

Gong Lianyu glanced over, studied him for a few seconds, and then raised his eyebrows with a knowing smile. ‘Oh…’

He was sharp when it came to reading people — and when he’d been about to make his move earlier, he hadn’t missed the way Yan Chuanbai’s expression had turned instantly cold, or the warning in his eyes.

Just like a beast guarding its food — nothing like his usual indifferent self.

Gong Lianyu found the thought amusing and didn’t bother saying it out loud.

Qi He only paused for two seconds before replying evenly, “But he is pretty good at fanning the flames.”

Gong Lianyu licked his popsicle, considering. “That’s true.”

—

When the military’s business was finally wrapped up, Yan Chuanbai returned. The others began dispersing to rest for the night. Gong Lianyu called out to Xiao Hai:

“Come on, you’re bunking with your Brother Yu tonight.”

Meanwhile, Yan Chuanbai had his adjutant bring over the supplies they’d received from Base II. Then he turned to Qi He. “Back to the room?”

Qi He stood. “Back to the room.”

The two of them shared a standard double — two beds, one table.

Once inside, the door shut with a solid thunk. Yan Chuanbai set the boxes down on the table.

“Want to take a look?”

The boxes were preservation-grade containers.

Inside were not only nutrient solutions but also samples of the hybrid plants. Qi He pulled on his gloves and placed a hand over one of the boxes. “I’ll handle it.”

The crucial plot point was right here.

Either something was about to happen—or something was about to be discovered.

Each time he opened one, he said, “You’re not allowed to touch this.”

Standing beside him, Yan Chuanbai was already used to it. “Okay.”

They had tested an entire row of nutrient agents.

Then Qi He reached for the box containing hybrid specimens.

He had only just cracked it open when the long-awaited alarm blared in his mind—

“Beep—”

At the same time, Qi He saw what was inside the box: a sesame-like hybrid seed.

Almost instantly, a powerful force slammed Yan Chuanbai away!

Bang! His solid body hit the wall hard.

Yan Chuanbai’s head snapped up. “Qi He!”

[ALERT!]

[Host interference with ultimate plot detected. Punishment triggered.]

A surge of high-voltage current roared through his entire body!

Qi He let out a muffled groan and dropped his head, one hand braced against the table.

He stared at the hybrid seeds in the box, his thoughts racing nonstop—

Sesame-like plant seeds use the classic “explosive dispersal” mechanism:

when the pods mature, they burst open easily.

And the pods at the base of this hybrid were already ripe,

while fresh flowers still bloomed at the top, releasing pollen.

Seeds—or pollen?

For the first time, Yan Chuanbai’s low voice betrayed a trace of panic.

He fixed his eyes on Qi He and shouted urgently, “Close the box, Qi He!”

But Qi He didn’t close it.

Agonizing pain coursed through him, his body convulsing under the current.

A bead of sweat fell.

Then suddenly, he laughed, his heartbeat quickening—

Electricity from a higher dimension couldn’t be resisted, used, or disrupted—

—but it could be harnessed.

The plot couldn’t be changed—but its impact could be minimized.

Qi He braced himself against the table and clenched one hand.

Thud… thud… thud…

One by one, he crushed the seeds and stamens into dust. The drifting pollen sank under gravity.

The high-dimensional warnings grew sharper and sharper, exploding inside his head—

[WARNING!] [WARNING!] [WARNING!]

The electric current pushed his body to its physiological limits, threatening his life like never before.

His spiritual power surged wildly in resistance.

Thud! Qi He dropped to one knee, a thin sheen of sweat soaking his entire body, his knuckles white from strain.

“…Qi He!”

Just as he was about to reach his breaking point—

He left behind one last seed and a single flower stamen, and with a clang, slammed the box shut.

The punishment ceased.

The current vanished.

His body went limp, collapsing sideways.

A figure darted forward in an instant, catching him and pulling him into a firm embrace.

Qi He, drenched in sweat, leaned against Yan Chuanbai’s shoulder. His damp lashes drooped low, and he smiled—

—Third evolution.

<< _ >>