Run the Plot Ch.59

Chapter 59: Overseas Aid＊A New Peach Blossom Land (Extra 1)

Two years later, in Country G.

In the midst of a dense forest, two figures rustled their way through the undergrowth. Around them, lush vegetation filled the landscape—thick vines swung in midair, and all the flora had mutated into plant-type variants.

Ever since the source had been eliminated in Country H two years ago, zombies had been almost completely wiped out. What remained were the mutated plants that had fused with zombie genes.

The primeval forests along the borders of Country G were the hardest hit.

As members of Country G’s elite forces, Greson and his teammate had been dispatched to clear Zone B. But three days had passed, and they still hadn’t made it out of the forest.

Worse still, Greson and Wenbert had become separated from their other three teammates.

One foot suddenly sank deep into a swamp.

“Greson!”

The ground acted like a living thing, swallowing him whole as massive vines lashed down from above.

Wenbert grabbed hold of Greson and unleashed a burst of fire ability upward! The flames forced the giant vine to recoil for an instant, but it caused no real damage.

Both of their bodies continued to sink.

“Damn it!” Wenbert cursed.

One of them was a Super-2S rank ability user, the other 3S—by all reason, that should have been more than enough to handle this forest. But after three days, their spiritual energy was nearly exhausted, and their comms had no signal.

The swamp swallowed them little by little, despair rising in their chests.

…It seemed they really were going to die here.

Suddenly, the sound of rotor blades echoed from above.

The noise grew closer and closer, and the two—already half-submerged in the mire—felt a flicker of hope ignite within them. Reinforcements!?

Greson looked up—

A figure dove from the canopy above, cutting through the sunlight like a flash of white wings. In a burst of dazzling brilliance, a powerful force wrenched them out of the swamp—

A layer of frost sealed over the ground just as the figure landed.

Boom!!!!

The surrounding mutant plants were blown clear in an instant.

Greson and Wenbert didn’t even have time to register what had happened before they landed on a frozen surface. In stunned silence, they lifted their eyes—only to see a lone figure standing before them.

The newcomer was tall and slender, refined in appearance, with dark hair and bright eyes—clearly someone from Country H.

His profile was composed and cool, gaze not directed toward them.

He wore only a plain white T-shirt, no insignia or rank markings, and somehow looked vaguely familiar—

Before they could recall where they’d seen him, a wave of frost spread outward, freezing the entire area solid.

It was the height of summer, yet it felt as if they had been cast into a world of ice sculptures.

A sharp crack sounded behind them.

As Wenbert and Greson turned their heads, they saw shards of glittering ice—mixed with the shredded remains of vine matter—shatter and crumble into dust.

A tall man stepped into view.

He wore the military uniform of Country H, capless, revealing a strikingly handsome yet cold face. The ends of his hair brushed over a broken eyebrow, lending him an air of casual defiance.

Wenbert and Greson’s gazes fell on his shoulder insignia—and both felt a shiver run down their spines.

Lieutenant General.

“Do you have any teammates left?” Yan Chuanbai asked.

The voice snapped them back to reality, and they finally remembered his name—Yan Chuanbai.

And the other man—yes, the one beside him—was the figure from the footage of the Source Eradication: a presence so powerful it seemed almost spectral—Qi He.

In the footage, Qi He’s movements had been impossibly fast; even the internal camera from the Source’s body had captured only blurry glimpses. There was just a single two-second close-up of his profile—and that alone had captivated countless men and women across Country G.

But those in the combat divisions had focused instead on his technique and strategy—only now realizing, belatedly—

“Qi!?”

Qi He looked over briefly and said simply, “Support from Country H.”

As he spoke, he lifted his hand—instantly seizing control of the entire vine network—and said in English:

“Give me fire.”

Greson was still reeling from the shock. Dazed, he perked up his ears and, flustered and excited, wiped his hands on his pants before reaching out.

“Give me five…”

Yan Chuanbai’s eyes glinted coldly, narrowing slightly.

Wenbert shuddered and immediately grabbed his teammate’s hand to stop him!

He happened to be a fire-type ability user and had watched the combat footage before—so he quickly understood what Qi He had actually meant.

With a whoosh, a burst of flame ignited across the ground—

And in the next instant, the very scene that had appeared countless times in the battle recordings unfolded before their eyes in reality.

Qi He’s fingers curled, his gaze blazing crimson.

Boom!!! The roots beneath the earth twisted and snapped apart, one after another.

In the blink of an eye, the once-dangerous forest turned into a barren wasteland—devoid of life.

Greson and Wenbert were completely stunned.

…

Once the mutant plants were wiped out, Qi He lowered his hand.

From behind him floated a small, round, hovering orb topped with three golden leaves. Its newly upgraded shell gleamed under the sunlight—

After two years, the system had finally evolved into Super Lam.

[…You said the new look would be different!]

The system, realizing it had been tricked again, protested loudly:

[But it’s still not cool at all!!!]

Qi He replied gently, “Of course it’s different. The leaves on your head now use magnetic levitation technology.”

[I want to look cool!] the system cried.

As Qi He was walking toward Yan Chuanbai, he paused at that complaint, turned his head toward Wenbert and Greson, and asked in English,

“Is my accessory cool?”

The two froze for a second—then nodded in unison.

“Super cool!”

Qi He smiled faintly. “See?” he told the system.

[……]

The system stiffened indignantly and quoted,

[‘Those who praise me must want something from me.’]

Qi He chuckled. “So you’re a Jealous System, huh?”

He stopped beside Yan Chuanbai just as he said that.

The moment he finished speaking, he looked up—only to see Yan Chuanbai deep in thought. Then, with a calm face, Yan Chuanbai subtly raised his hand—the one wearing the ring—as if unintentionally reaching out…

Qi He’s eyelid twitched, and he immediately pressed the hand back down!

Yan Chuanbai: “…”

Qi He stared at him. “Don’t do something that deliberate.”

A faint trace of regret crossed Yan Chuanbai’s handsome face—yet when his gaze dropped to Qi He’s hand pressed against his wrist, a subtle flicker of satisfaction flashed in his eyes.

Behind them, Greson and Wenbert whispered in awe:

“I’ve heard they’re a couple.”

“Two years later and still that close… look at how intimate they are.”

Qi He’s sharp hearing caught every word: “…”

He narrowed his eyes at Yan Chuanbai.

After a pause, he merely raised an eyebrow. Then, his fingertips brushed teasingly along the other’s knuckle—just enough to make Yan Chuanbai’s body tense slightly—before withdrawing as if nothing had happened.

Yan Chuanbai drew in a deep breath and looked at him, expression heavy.

Qi He had already walked past him, moving ahead.

Wenbert and Greson had been separated from their teammates, and in this vast forest there was no signal. Fortunately, Qi He had just installed a new detector into his system—Super Lam. The little orb circled the air and returned:

[Direction: 10 o’clock.]

Qi He stepped forward first and called back, “Follow me.”

—

By the time they arrived, a battle was already underway.

On the opposing side were one Super 3S-rank combat type, one 2S-rank support, and one 2S-rank combat type.

A wave of frost swept across the battlefield in an instant!

Immediately after, Yan Chuanbai’s 5S-rank vine ability burst through the ice, seizing and strangling the lower-tier mutated plants of the same origin—layer by layer, until nothing was left.

The fight ended almost before it began.

Yan Chuanbai lowered his hand, stepping out from the forest under the stunned gazes of the others.

The system commented dryly: [Someone’s got too much pent-up energy.]

Since it was already handled, Qi He didn’t bother to act again.

As the group emerged together, Wenbert and Greson shouted excitedly, “Captain!”

Seeing them alive, Raven finally exhaled in relief—then his eyes caught Yan Chuanbai’s shoulder insignia.

Also a soldier from Country G’s military, Raven immediately reached out to shake Yan Chuanbai’s hand and offered a respectful, “Thank you.”

The team regrouped, and Wenbert and Greson quickly explained what had just happened.

When they mentioned the identities of the two who’d saved them, everyone froze for a moment—especially at Qi He’s name. After all, they’d all heard of him: in Country H, his reputation and prestige were said to be untouchable.

Raven cast a glance in that direction.

Qi He hadn’t taken part in the earlier fight.

Now, he stood there in a simple T-shirt—utterly out of place among the fully armed soldiers. He wore no visible gear, yet in this perilous forest, that air of casualness came across as… arrogance.

The system’s beady eyes blinked:

[The last person who looked at you like that—Xiao Yang—ended up completely smitten by your white T-shirt. I heard he’s still looping your solo combat footage at Base III.]

Qi He replied calmly, “That’s just human nature.”

He paid no attention to Raven’s gaze.

Noticing where Raven was looking, Wenbert followed his line of sight and said, “I heard ‘Qi’ nearly blew up the measurement device again. He’s probably already above 5S rank.”

“Above 5S?”

Raven frowned. 5S was the known upper limit of spiritual power. He’d watched the battle footage himself—he admitted Qi He was strong, but—

That inherent pride of being from Country G, along with a hint of disbelief, made him curl his lips slightly:

“Isn’t it possible that Country H’s measuring standards are a bit… low? Are we sure they’re internationally aligned—”

Before he could finish, Qi He’s head turned sharply in their direction.

His lashes trembled once. Raven froze, caught off guard—

Then BOOM!!!!

In the next instant, their entire group was hurled upward—the ground beneath them erupting as a massive vine-type mutant burst out, tearing through the earth and launching everything skyward.

Raven’s heart lurched violently in his chest!

The violent sensation of weightlessness and the overwhelming sense of danger felt like a taut wire tightening around their hearts.

Before they could even react—

The ground below, along with the massive vines, was suddenly smashed aside by an invisible force! It was as if something unseen had shattered the earth itself, disintegrating it in an instant. Then, just as they were about to crash down, another pulse of anti-gravity caught them mid-fall and eased their descent.

Thud!

They hit the ground, shaken and breathless, hearts still pounding.

The giant vine mutant that had ambushed them was already twisted and torn to pieces.

Raven looked up through the rush of his heartbeat—Qi He was still standing in the same spot, unmoving, calm as ever.

5S-level mental power — manifested into physical force.

A bead of sweat rolled down Raven’s temple.

In the long, heavy silence that followed, he finally understood:

Yes… with that level of psychic force, it really could blow up a measuring device.

…

Qi He turned his head slightly. Yan Chuanbai seemed to lower his eyes with a faint, knowing smile.

By now, the system had long since mastered reading their subtle expressions: [You two sensed that the mutants were gathering underground long before this, didn’t you!?]

Qi He sighed softly. “Well, I thought Yan Chuanbai would make the move first. I suppose he thought the same of me.”

[……]

System “Hehe”: Neither of you are good people.

—

They had come here in response to a distress signal.

Now that the Country G’s ability users were safe, their next task was to escort them to rendezvous with Country G’s military command. After that, the remaining mutant-clearing operations would fall under local jurisdiction.

On a clearing outside the forest, a large Country G military helicopter stood waiting.

A group of officers disembarked. The man at the front bore the shoulder insignia of a Country G lieutenant general.

Raven and his team immediately stood at attention and saluted in unison:

“Lieutenant General Hoisen, sir!”

Hoisen nodded, then walked straight toward Qi He and Yan Chuanbai.

He shook hands with Yan Chuanbai, his fellow lieutenant general, before turning to Qi He. Under the astonished gazes of everyone present, he greeted with a hint of respect:

“Mr. Qi.”

Qi He said, “It’s been a while.”

Hoisen smiled. “I was honored to receive your guidance—and thank you again for your support this time.”

Then he turned to the others and explained, “When I went to Country H for military exchange last year, I attended Mr. Qi’s lectures. You could say I was his student.”

The scene fell silent.

Raven and the others held their breath.

The helicopter from Country H was already descending nearby.

Qi He gave a brief farewell. “See you next time.”

With that, he and Yan Chuanbai, under the salute of the Country G military officers, boarded the helicopter.

—

The helicopter crossed back into Country H airspace.

Familiar mountains and rivers swept past beneath them. Qi He rested one hand against the window, watching the scenery outside. His other hand was caught in Yan Chuanbai’s grasp.

The vine-shaped ring on his finger gently tightened and loosened—tightened and loosened—as if trying to draw his attention.

Qi He lightly patted it without turning his head. “What are you fidgeting for?”

Don’t think he didn’t know—those vines could carry Yan Chuanbai’s sensory perception.

Yan Chuanbai sounded dissatisfied. “Why aren’t you looking at me?”

Qi He sighed deeply, resting his chin in his palm as he gazed out the window. “I am looking at you. I’m also admiring the great rivers and mountains of our motherland. Your face is reflected in the glass—I’m seeing both of you at once. Two birds with one stone.”

“…”

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze darkened. “And I fell for it again.”

The landscape below streamed past. After watching for a few moments, Qi He suddenly said, “Change course. Let’s go somewhere.”

“Where to?”

“Have you forgotten the road you came from?”

The helicopter banked sharply, changing direction—heading straight for the old civilian refuge site not far from Base I.

…

Over the past two years, territories once lost to humanity had been gradually reclaimed. The communication signal coverage was expanding, and the bases had shifted to a semi-open structure—human activity zones were growing larger.

The shelter Zhou Shun and the others had originally built was now within that expanded range.

It had been designated a livable area again, and the former residents were planning to move back.

When the destination came into view, Yan Chuanbai understood.

“I heard Zhou Shun joined the military department,” he said.

Qi He nodded. “He has both experience and reputation. The military allowed him to continue managing this area.”

Yan Chuanbai replied, “That’s good.”

As the mutants gradually disappeared, new ability users also seemed to be appearing less and less. In this era of transition between the old and the new, order was being rebuilt.

Perhaps when this wave of “evolution” was completely over, another age of peace would begin.

Twenty minutes later, the helicopter landed.

Qi He and Yan Chuanbai stepped out—just as the residents were in the midst of moving back.

The village entrance, once desolate, was now busy with people and vehicles.

Earth-type ability users and soldiers were working together to rebuild. After two years of ruin, they were restoring the place little by little, shaping it once again into something resembling pre-apocalypse homes.

The entire area was bustling with activity.

As the two men walked in from the entrance, they happened to run right into Zhou Shun.

Their gazes met—and both froze.

The same ground, the same people.

Fragments of the past surfaced in their minds.

Right in front of the two, Zhou Shun couldn’t help himself; his throat bobbed with an audible gulp.

Qi He: “…”

Yan Chuanbai: “…”

System: [He really hasn’t forgotten the road he came from.]

Qi He asked mildly, “Hungry?”

Zhou Shun frantically shook his head. “No, no, not at all.”

…Forget it—he bore part of the blame for what had happened back then too. Qi He was just about to turn the page when Zhou Shun suddenly stepped forward again, rubbing his hands together respectfully.

“Um, there’s something I’d like to request from you two, sirs.”

Yan Chuanbai gestured for him to speak. “Go on.”

Zhou Shun immediately brightened, his eyebrows dancing. “It’s about the house you two used to live in—we’re planning to turn it into a Famous Residence, for everyone to remember and pay respects to!”

Yan Chuanbai seemed to think of something; an approving expression flickered across his face. Then, as if casually, he asked, “Since it’s a place we both lived in, what are you planning to call this residence?”

His tone carried deliberate emphasis.

Zhou Shun thought for two seconds, then inspiration struck. “Well, since both of you stayed at that base, how about calling it “Yan Juji (Yan Residence Base)”? Or maybe “Qi Guoji (Qi Passed Base)? What do you think?”

The two men: “…”

System: [……]

Under Yan Chuanbai’s slowly icing-over gaze—

System gasped: [How can one man be so… well-rounded and so brave!]

Thud! Zhou Shun collapsed to the ground.

Qi He stepped past him, saying lightly, “Better to speak less with the heavens—and ask more of the earth beneath your feet.”

…

They continued deeper into the settlement.

The road wasn’t unfamiliar; the moving vehicles kicked up a haze of yellow dust. Familiar faces passed by, greeting them warmly:

“Mr. Qi! General Yan!”

“Never thought we’d have the chance to move back.”

“Yeah, the base was great, but this place—this was home once. We really have to thank the military and Miss Yu Jiang.”

Qi He smiled faintly in return.

Just as they reached the residential area, a lively young voice called out:

“Mom! Everything’s been moved here!”

They turned to see Aunt Tian and little Tian Luo.

Nearly three years had passed—Tian Luo had grown much taller, looking like a small adult now, already old enough to take on responsibilities. When his eyes met theirs, he called out cheerfully:

“Brother Qi! Brother Yan!”

Qi He walked over. “Xiao Luo.”

Then he turned to Aunt Tian. “Need any help?”

Aunt Tian smiled and thanked him. “It’s almost all done.”

Their car was parked nearby.

Qi He glanced toward it.

The packed luggage and household items had already been carried into the house—nothing much was left in the vehicle. Then, his gaze paused.

On the passenger seat sat a flower pot—apparently carried all the way with great care.

The pot looked familiar, its edges a little worn.

After two years, the little plant inside had grown into a lush, overflowing bloom.

Tian Luo was just about to fetch it when Qi He reached out and handed it over himself—

just like he had two years ago, when he’d taken them away from this place, placing the same flower pot gently into Tian Luo’s arms.

The vibrant blossoms swayed before his eyes.

The boy’s once-childish face now carried a more mature, understanding look. After a moment’s silence, Tian Luo smiled.

“Brother Qi, we’ve returned to our peach-blossom paradise.”

“Not returned,” Qi He said softly, smiling as he looked toward the distance.

Out on the far ridge, the earth had been freshly turned; smoke was rising once more from the chimneys of rebuilt houses. Amid laughter and cheerful voices, life was thriving again—lively, human, and warm.

Yan Chuanbai seemed to know exactly what he meant; his expression softened too.

The petals reached toward the sky, catching the trembling light of the sun.

“It’s not the old peach-blossom land we’ve come back to,” Qi He said quietly. “It’s that we’ve finally welcomed a new one.”

————————————————————

Author’s Note:

This world’s storyline ends here; all foreshadowing has been wrapped up. [Throwing flowers]

Time to brew an “if” ending~ [heart]

Note: “Those who praise me must want something from me” is quoted from “Zou Ji advises the King of Qi to accept criticism”.

<< _ >>

**TN

Yan Juji sounds like Yan Roast Chicken; while Qi Guoji sounds like Qi Nationality XD

“Zou Ji advises the King Wei of Qi to accept criticism” – It refers to a famous story from ancient China where Zou Ji uses a metaphorical argument to persuade the King Wei of Qi to listen to different opinions and advice. This story illustrates the importance of a ruler being open to criticism and avoiding a court filled with yes-men. (You can read the story here, it has an English translation: LINK)

There are still 5 extra chapters left. 😀