Chapter 46: This Is What Reputation Means
Qi He said, “Weren’t you curious?”
System: [What are you trying to do!!]
Qi He skimmed through the script and gave it a little preview: “I was deeply moved by his confession, and I called him a ‘damn ghost.’”
[——!]
Yan Chuanbai saw him not moving and called again, “Qi He?”
Under the system’s horrified gaze, Qi He looked toward Yan Chuanbai and said, “I’m touched that you still remember to call my name.”
System: […?]
Yan Chuanbai: “?”
He looked down at Qi He for a long moment, voice calm and even. “What kind of prejudice do you have against me, exactly?”
Qi He replied steadily, “Archrival.”
Yan Chuanbai raised a brow.
System: [……]
It finally let out a sigh of relief—then suddenly realized: [Wait, you tricked me on purpose just now!?]
Qi He’s lips curved slightly.
Then, in front of him came a low voice: “Can I take that to mean you see me as someone on equal footing?”
Qi He snapped back to attention, looking up.
Yan Chuanbai stood right before him, gaze falling lightly on the curve of Qi He’s mouth before lifting to meet his eyes. His stance was relaxed, but there was a glint of life flickering in his eyes.
A challenge? No…
Qi He shifted his thoughts, considering, “Would this count as… part of a ‘confession’?”
“No.”
After saying that, Yan Chuanbai suddenly leaned down. His fingertips brushed lightly against Qi He’s palm, and with a whisper by his ear, he said, “Whether it’s to fight me—or to do something else—I’ll be waiting anytime.”
A shiver of tingling shot straight from Qi He’s ear down to his heart.
Those words alone were enough to tempt him—Qi He’s breathing trembled slightly.
Then Yan Chuanbai straightened up and gave him a smile. “That’s what counts as part of a confession.”
“……” Qi He.
[!] System.
With that, Yan Chuanbai turned away. “Let’s go.”
…
Qi He drew in a small breath and followed after him.
The two walked through F City one behind the other. The system, trembling, observed Qi He for a moment before cautiously asking:
[How do you feel?]
Qi He sounded unwilling: “I lost the upper hand just now. If I’d known, I would’ve actually carried out the line I told you in advance.”
[……] System.
After a pause, it spoke in numb resignation: [When you were reviewing dating sims, you weren’t courting the characters—you were attacking them, weren’t you.]
Qi He’s eyes widened slightly in astonishment, wondering if he had somehow coded a virus into the system’s language module.
He didn’t respond, and the topic ended there.
The supplies in the defense room had been packed up by the adjutant. They left through the city gates; a helicopter was already waiting.
Faint morning light broke through the clouds.
The rotors stirred up a wild, howling wind.
Yan Chuanbai gripped the boarding pole with one hand; beneath his uniform, his shoulders were broad and steady, his shoulder blades flexing with coiled power. In one clean motion, he leapt aboard the helicopter.
Qi He looked at his back.
Did he feel anything?
Given the relationship between the two of them—
Whether as the “protagonist” and “cannon fodder” arranged by the story, or as the “target” and “mission taker” bound by the plot… or as evenly matched rivals, comrades fighting side by side…
Yan Chuanbai, amid all that, had developed feelings for him.
It gave Qi He an entirely new sensation—something unprecedented, and strangely magnetic.
He withdrew his gaze, then with two light steps, leapt onto the helicopter as well.
—
Two hours later, the helicopter landed back at Base I.
As usual, the S-rank ability users had to hold a brief meeting.
The moment they got off, Qi He and Yan Chuanbai headed straight for the research institute’s conference room. Yu Tianxing and Yu Jiang were already there, and when they saw the two of them enter one after the other—
Yu Jiang’s gaze snapped to them instantly, following their movements…
Yan Chuanbai paused and took the seat across from her. “Thanks for the serum.”
Yu Jiang blinked in surprise, tilting her head slightly—what just poured out of him?
She stared blankly for a second. “…Oh.”
Qi He took the seat beside her and asked Yu Tianxing, “Where’s Xia Jiu?”
Yu Tianxing smiled easily. “She’s busy over in the lab—on her way now…”
Before he could finish, the door swung open.
Xia Jiu burst in, short hair flying, full of energy. She dragged a chair out and sat down. “I’m here, I’m here—let’s start.”
There was a lot to cover in this meeting.
Yan Chuanbai began by summarizing the recent battle and the subsequent arrangements for Base III: “Base III will be taken over by Yang Cheng. There are two S-ranks stationed there. For now, Headquarters still has two combat-type and three support-type S-ranks, so our overall strength remains sufficient.”
Yu Tianxing said wistfully, “Yeah—especially with Guan Shang heading to the front lines. He’s practically worth half a combat-type himself.”
Yan Chuanbai narrowed his eyes slightly. “Summary’s done. Next topic.”
“……”
Everything within the base was running smoothly.
After the first batch of antibodies for S-ranks had been completed, production for the next batch had already begun.
“The development of the serum is more complicated and time-consuming,” Xia Jiu said, arms crossed as she leaned back in her chair. “For now, we’re still focusing on the antibody.”
“Anyway, everyone’s worked hard these past few days.”
When the meeting wrapped up, Yu Tianxing clapped his hands together at the front. “Alright then—everyone come to my place for dinner tonight~”
Right after he said that, Yan Chuanbai tapped his fingertips lightly on the table. “You’ve all worked hard. Come to my place instead.”
Everyone turned to look at him: ?
Yu Tianxing was stunned. “Wha—was that… human speech!?”
He stared at Yan Chuanbai in disbelief. “Were you caught by zombies and mutated?”
Both Yan Chuanbai and Qi He froze.
Across the table, Xia Jiu suddenly turned her head, narrowing her eyes at them.
After a brief pause, Yan Chuanbai composed himself again and looked toward Yu Jiang. “Are you coming?”
Since entering the base, Yu Jiang’s daily life had been taken care of by Yu Jin. She hesitated for a moment, her gaze flickering slightly before she answered, cheeks faintly flushed, “…Yes.”
Yan Chuanbai nodded. “Alright.”
…
The routine meeting ended, and everyone dispersed.
Yu Tianxing, as usual, stayed behind to wait for Yu Jin with Yu Jiang.
Qi He walked out of the conference room alongside Yan Chuanbai, but they hadn’t gone far when footsteps sounded behind them.
“You—”
Both of them stopped and turned.
Xia Jiu stood there with one hand in her pocket, eyes fixed on Yan Chuanbai.
The hallway was empty. Her gaze sharpened, locking on him for several seconds before she stepped closer and said with certainty, “You’ve been infected.”
Two seconds passed. Yan Chuanbai said evenly, “Yes.”
Qi He glanced at Xia Jiu. Her ability—Identification—was indeed more direct and specific than any instrument. But since she wasn’t reacting too strongly, that meant…
“However,” Yan Chuanbai added, “it’s already fine now.”
Xia Jiu gave him a quick once-over. “There’s… a parasitic seed in your body? Luckily it’s only one. The serum managed to suppress it, and your immune system should be able to break it down and metabolize it afterward. If there’d been any more, even the antibody might not have been able to hold it back.”
Yan Chuanbai froze for a moment, then suddenly turned to look at Qi He.
He remembered that instant—when he had opened the sesame-hybrid spore, Qi He had shoved him away. After that, Qi He crushed all the pollen and seeds to dust. Most likely… he’d missed just one.
The system trembled in shock: […He, this was all linked together step by step. If even one thing had gone wrong, wouldn’t Yan Chuanbai have become the zombie king by now?]
Qi He kept his expression steady. “I told you—it was a combo move.”
Xia Jiu spoke again. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell anyone.”
Yan Chuanbai gave a quiet “Mm.” “I’ll report this to Headquarters later. It should be classified as top secret.”
The control room was upstairs.
As they reached the foot of the stairs, Yan Chuanbai added, “Come for dinner tonight.” Then he turned and went up.
Xia Jiu was stunned by his sudden warmth!
She turned to Qi He. “Did surviving disaster make him realize that being a ‘person’ is actually better?”
“……”
Qi He sighed. “You have a prejudice against him too?”
Xia Jiu drew in a deep breath, uncertain how to explain. “That’s… what reputation does, I guess.”
—
During the day, everyone was busy with their own duties.
Yan Chuanbai had said dinner would be around 6:30 p.m. Near six, Qi He suddenly received a message:
[Just finished a new ability-rank test. Back at my apartment.]
[Wanna come up?]
Qi He raised a brow at the message—Yan Chuanbai said he’d been tested again but didn’t mention the result. From the look of things, he was at least 4S-level… though whether he’d gone beyond that—who knew.
It felt like he was being baited—but he didn’t exactly mind.
Qi He didn’t reply to the message. He simply took the elevator upstairs.
Two knocks. The door opened.
Yan Chuanbai stood in the entryway. When he saw it was Qi He, he smiled slightly. “You’re here?” He turned aside to let him in. The kitchen counter was already lined with ingredients waiting to be prepared.
Qi He closed the door and walked over. “What’s your current rank?”
Yan Chuanbai had his sleeves rolled up to his forearms, hands moving deftly as he worked with the ingredients. “Take a guess.”
Qi He narrowed his eyes. “4S.”
The other man’s tone lifted slightly at the end, almost confirming it. “Mm. Exactly 4S.”
Qi He was about to ask more when Yan Chuanbai added, “I’ve already reported the infection to Headquarters. Technically, a 4S who’s been infected carries potential risks. But Headquarters decided it’s fine—as long as I have someone stronger than 4S by my side to keep me in check—”
He said it casually, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “So now, I really can’t live without you.”
Qi He: “……”
The system, recognizing this all-too-familiar routine, ground its teeth and shut its eyes.
Qi He paused, then understood. “So your third evolution ability is… adhesive?”
Yan Chuanbai shamelessly countered, “Could also be emotional transparency.”
The system sneered: [Hehe, I’d say it’s more like a pile of schemes.]
“……” Qi He dragged the topic back on track. “So what is it actually?”
Yan Chuanbai’s ice ability had already reached the microscopic level after his last evolution. It was hard to imagine what the third one could bring.
Yan Chuanbai frowned slightly, concentrating. “It feels… different somehow. I just haven’t had time to—”
Qi He’s gaze sharpened. “Different?”
Suddenly—beep, beep! Two sharp tones cut their conversation short.
Yan Chuanbai wiped his hands and picked up the communicator. His brow twitched first, then he took a deep breath.
“Yu Tianxing’s downstairs.”
Qi He was silent for a moment, then said evenly, “It’s a little early, but that hardly seems worth a headache.”
Yan Chuanbai continued, “He brought Gong Lianyu with him.”
“…Who?” Qi He hadn’t caught that. “Who?”
Was there some random name sneaking its way into their Base I now???
Yan Chuanbai set down the communicator. “Base II’s full lockdown has been lifted. He came here to pick up antibodies—and happened to run into Yu Tianxing. Naturally, he said he’d come up to join us for dinner.”
Before Qi He could respond, a knock sounded on the door.
The topic of ability evolution was shelved for now as Yan Chuanbai went to open it. “We’ll test the new ability later.”
—
The door swung open, and Gong Lianyu burst in like an overexcited golden retriever. “Surprise~!”
He snapped his fingers with a pop!
Qi He narrowed his eyes. “What did you steal this time?”
Gong Lianyu floated lazily into the living room, like some cheerful, sunlit ghost. “Still your power, of course—it’s so convenient, Qi He.”
Yan Chuanbai didn’t even spare him a glance, heading back to the counter to prep ingredients.
Gong Lianyu, thrilled to have free rein on someone else’s turf, couldn’t stay still for a moment. “Oh right—Yan Chuanbai, I heard you personally invited everyone to dinner today? Since when are you this generous, this sociable?”
Yu Tianxing cheerfully chimed in, “He said it’s to reward everyone’s hard work.”
Gong Lianyu gasped theatrically. “He actually has that kind of sentiment!?”
A sharp crack split the air—an icicle shot across the room!
Gong Lianyu dodged and fell back to the ground with a thud, quickly assessing the situation and deciding to shut his mouth.
It was nearly six-thirty, and the others were arriving one after another.
Meng Yan entered with Xia Jiu.
Her gaze instantly landed on Yan Chuanbai, as though she’d found a treasure. “Brother Yan was injected with the serum—do you think his blood could now be used to—”
“Shh,” Xia Jiu hushed her. “Wait until I say it’s safe to draw before you mention it to him.”
Yu Jiang was pushed inside by Yu Jin. She looked around the room with some curiosity, then quietly found a spot near the kitchen and pricked up her ears.
When Zhou Ziqian stepped through the door and saw the crowd, he jumped in surprise. “Brother Yan, since when do you have so many friends?”
Yan Chuanbai lifted his eyes and let out a faint, cool chuckle.
Mo Jiayan followed right behind, saying to Ye Yi, “Captain! See? I’m not the only one who thinks so!”
System: [……]
Qi He: “……”
The living room had already descended into a noisy mess.
Yan Chuanbai, unbothered, continued preparing the dishes.
Now that everyone had arrived, he finished a few appetizers and set them aside. Remembering all the times Yan Chuanbai had helped him before, Qi He went over. “I’ll take these to the living room.”
Yan Chuanbai looked at him for a couple of seconds, a trace of amusement in his eyes. “Alright.”
Qi He carried the plates away.
Yan Chuanbai turned to fetch some bowls from the other side. His footsteps passed through the walkway behind the counter. Amid the fluctuating waves of S-level spiritual energy filling the house, his own seemed to stir slightly as well.
Several thin vines silently crept out from the cracks behind the kitchen counter, their tips unfurling.
…
The living room was in a cheerful uproar.
Everyone had their own acquaintances, so no one felt left out. A few appetizers were laid out on the table, and the group began eating and chatting.
Behind the sofa, a shadowy figure peeked out sneakily.
Gong Lianyu’s eyes fixed on Yan Chuanbai by the kitchen counter. He quietly activated his ability for a second time—stealing, undetected.
Pop! A popsicle appeared in his hand.
He licked it happily, savoring his little solo treat. A pre-dinner snack was just what a gathering needed—
The next instant, a tingling numbness spread from the tip of his tongue.
Thud! A heavy sound echoed as he hit the floor.
Everyone in the living room jumped in fright and turned their heads—only to see Gong Lianyu lying flat on his back.
They rushed over at once, chairs scraping in a flurry.
“What happened?!”
“Hey, you okay, Gong Lianyu?”
Qi He also hurried to join the crowd.
Gong Lianyu’s mouth was wide open, his body frozen like he’d been paralyzed, drooling uncontrollably… When he saw Yan Chuanbai walking toward him, a faint gleam of desperation flickered in his eyes!
With his swollen tongue and tears streaming down his cheeks, he managed to slur out:
“Y–Yan Chuanbai… did you p–put poison in your ice?!”
Everyone: “……”
“?”
Yan Chuanbai and Qi He both froze for a second.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
Author’s Note:
Xia Jiu: Yan Chuanbai, ever since you came back, you’ve completely changed!
Yu Tianxing: Yan Chuanbai, ever since you came back, it’s like you finally became human!
Gong Lianyu: Yan Chuanbai, ever since you came back, it’s like you changed species!! [sobbing violently]
