Run the Plot Ch.17

Chapter 17: Unable to Suppress

The system couldn’t get any words out.

Qi He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze meaningful. “You came here to wash your vegetables with hot water too?”

Yan Chuanbai’s eyes drooped. “I came to wash myself.”

“……”

Qi He glanced at the neckline of his bathrobe, silently sighing: So lacking in self-restraint. Then he stepped aside with a smile, opening the way. “Come in.”

Once the door closed, Yan Chuanbai followed him into the room.

The room was dim, only a strip of ambient lights glowing.

The thin blanket on the bed had been turned back, leaving behind pressed creases.

Yan Chuanbai glanced over. “You were about to sleep?”

“Just about.”

“You sleep, I’ll shower.”

The two happened to stop right in front of the bathroom.

The layout of all the flats was identical, the bathroom positioned directly opposite the bed. Qi He sat down on the edge of the bed, tilting his head to look at him.

“No need. I’ll just wait here for you.”

Yan Chuanbai paused at the bathroom entrance, then turned his head back.

Qi He added, “Nothing else implied.”

“Heh, I know.”

With that, the bathroom door slammed shut.

The sound of running water soon pattered out from behind the frosted glass.

Qi He didn’t look in that direction; instead, he lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling.

In his mind, the system’s voice trembled: [……Why is Yan Chuanbai taking a shower at your place?!]

He replied, “His water heater broke, obviously.”

[…]

The system felt they weren’t even talking about the same issue.

By all logic, the closer the two got, the easier it should be to advance the plot. But it couldn’t shake the feeling that the story was accelerating wildly—and where exactly it would race off to, it had no idea.

So the system simply went silent.

…

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped soon after.

Yan Chuanbai had already finished washing more or less; now he just rinsed off once before pushing the door open.

Warm steam drifted out.

Qi He turned his head and saw Yan Chuanbai standing by the bed.

Backlit, the glow traced his outline, the bathrobe loosely draped around him—casual, yet carrying a lazy sort of dominance.

They locked eyes for a few moments. Just as Yan Chuanbai was about to speak—

Qi He suddenly asked, “Why did your water heater break?”

Those eyes, bright and steady, looked right at him. It was as though Qi He already had an answer in mind, waiting for confirmation.

Yan Chuanbai’s lips moved slightly before he brushed it off with a short reply: “It froze.”

Qi He sat up, studying him. “Was it because of me?”

The scene from earlier in the day resurfaced.

Heat stirred low in Yan Chuanbai’s stomach. He turned his head aside. “Could also be the nutrient solution.”

A silence hung between them at the bedside.

Qi He thought to himself with regret: A pity, two variables were introduced today.

“Then I’ll—”

“Tonight you—”

The two voices overlapped.

They stopped. Their eyes met. Qi He was the first to speak. “Do you want to sleep here tonight?”

Yan Chuanbai’s eyelids twitched. “Sleep here?”

“To observe whether you unconsciously release your ability in your sleep.”

The space between them fell silent for a while.

“Then where do I sleep?” Yan Chuanbai tilted his head. “The sofa?”

He was all long limbs.

Qi He sized him up. “You’re clean now. I’ll allow you to sleep in the bed.” His bed was big anyway. And if they were close, he’d notice any anomaly at once.

“Thank you for your permission.”

“You’re welcome.”

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze shifted toward the bed in front of him.

The bed was wide. Qi He only used half of it when he slept; the other half was perfectly smooth, easily enough for another grown man to lie down. Yan Chuanbai felt his ability slipping out of control again, especially when facing Qi He, as though something inside him was being stirred.

After a few seconds of thought, he sat down on the edge of the bed. “Alright.”

—

When the lights went out, Qi He lay back down.

Light from the floor-to-ceiling window filtered in.

It was dim, but just enough to make out the room. Yan Chuanbai lay flat on his back beside him, motionless. From the very first time Qi He had knocked on his door, he’d noticed it—though Yan Chuanbai carried himself in daily life with a lazy ease, when it came to sleep he had the discipline of someone from the military.

Qi He lay on his side now, facing him.

His gaze lingered. The profile of Yan Chuanbai’s face was sharply defined—straight nose, lashes lowered. Yet between his brows, there was a calmness that softened his features, turning his handsomeness into something strikingly refined.

Qi He stared unblinking for five whole minutes.

Then, suddenly, the eyes before him opened, clear and awake—

Qi He asked expectantly, “Well? Any anomalies?”

“There are.”

“Where?”

“Right beside me.” Yan Chuanbai turned, staring at him quietly. “Your gaze—it’s unusually scorching.”

Qi He: “……”

He flopped back down. “Alright, alright, I’ll stop looking. Go to sleep.”

Yan Chuanbai closed his eyes again.

The breath in his chest had only just settled when suddenly a hand brushed against him. His eyes flew open. He turned his head—and saw that hand, warm and slender, resting lightly on the sleeve of his robe, completely without aggression. It seemed Qi He was only testing the temperature around him.

When his gaze moved up, Qi He’s eyes were already closed.

Half his face was buried in the pillow, dark bangs falling across his forehead.

Yan Chuanbai looked for two seconds, then turned back and shut his eyes once more.

…

The next morning.

Movement stirred beside him, and Qi He’s lashes fluttered as he opened his eyes.

He saw Yan Chuanbai sitting on the edge of the bed with his back to him. The thin blanket had slipped down, exposing the loose collar of his T-shirt.

Qi He pushed himself up. “You’re up?”

“Mm.”

“How do you feel?”

Yan Chuanbai didn’t turn his head. “Alright.”

Qi He didn’t notice the brevity of his reply and sat all the way up. “Your ability didn’t fluctuate again last night.”

The mattress dipped lighter at his side—Yan Chuanbai had already stood.

Lowering his gaze, he tightened the slack belt of his robe. In that instant after waking, it hit him clearly—by some inexplicable impulse, he had actually spent the night here.

“…I know,” he said.

His ability hadn’t stirred again, true. But something else inside him was slipping from control, close to breaking free.

Qi He finally sensed something. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Yan Chuanbai’s face stayed cold. Inwardly, he told himself he needed to keep his distance.

—

After Qi He changed clothes, the two of them left the room.

He pressed the button for the down elevator, while Yan Chuanbai, needing to return and tidy up, pressed for the up.

The elevator descended slowly from above—ding!

The doors opened, revealing Yu Jin pushing Yu Jiang inside.

Both sides froze again.

Qi He stepped in, glancing at Yan Chuanbai who was still waiting outside. “I’ll head down first.”

“Alright.”

The elevator doors slid shut and began to descend.

In the silence, Yu Jiang seemed to hold her breath. After a while, she spoke softly: “…Yesterday, did you stay at your place?”

Qi He explained, “It was an accident.”

Yu Jiang’s pupils trembled slightly: each of them had spent a night at each other’s room.

…There was even distribution. With things like this, why hadn’t they gotten back together yet?

Ding! The elevator stopped on the first floor and the doors opened.

Qi He turned his head, catching the dazed look on Yu Jiang’s face. “I’ll go on ahead.”

Yu Jiang: “Oh.”

…

Qi He arrived at the training grounds.

Their schedules were arranged in shifts—today wasn’t Yan Chuanbai’s turn, so only his own trainees were present.

The moment his figure appeared on the field, the entire atmosphere seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.

—He’s here.

Qi He strapped on a tactical harness and firearm. He wasn’t wearing the standard tight combat suit, just a plain white T-shirt underneath. Standing there so casually, he pulled on his gloves and said:

“Today’s one-on-one. You’ll take turns coming up to fight me.”

The trainees: “……”

Fight who? If I fight you, then who’s fighting me?

Thud, thud, thud—

The sounds of bodies hitting the ground rang out across the training field, yellow dust rising everywhere.

That white-clad figure moved again—another trainee out of the match.

On the sidelines, one of the waiting students’ legs went weak. “Is Instructor Qi already using his ability on me? Why do I feel like kneeling on the ground?”

His teammate turned. “Shouldn’t be. If he were using his ability, it’d be more like—”

He pointed—and with a plop! several trainees, including Ke Yuan, collapsed to their knees at the edge of the field.

At the same time, Qi He’s voice rang out between strikes: “Even on the sidelines you need to stay alert. Don’t think you’re off the hook just because you’re not in the ring.”

“I f***ing—” Thud! Bang!

The watching trainees: “……”

Another swift grapple and takedown—without even using his ability.

Qi He’s movements were sharp and precise, every strike and every shift of his position appearing in places no one anticipated. The wide hem of his clothes swayed lightly, the curve of his waistline cutting a graceful arc—

Then he landed back on the training ground with ease.

In the upper right corner of the field, a red surveillance light flickered.

His figure was captured on the screen, one end linked to Base I’s monitoring room, the other transmitted directly to headquarters.

…

Beep beep—the communicator chimed.

Yu Tianxing picked up, and Zhong Panqing’s voice came through. “Tianxing.”

“Major General Zhong.”

“How are the base and the research progressing?”

After Yu Tianxing gave the routine report on research results, the voice on the other end said with relief, “You’ve worked hard.” A pause followed, then: “That Qi He in your base—I saw him. Didn’t expect such skill. A pity he previously refused to join the military.”

Yu Tianxing replied, “Yes.”

“Chuanbai is the strongest force in the military. With him at Base I, I’m at ease. Qi He’s strength is on par with his. That’s why I’d like to talk to him about transferring to lead Base II.”

Yu Tianxing’s mouth opened slightly, then closed. At last, he answered, “I’ll inform Qi He and have him contact you shortly.”

The call disconnected.

He quickly sent Qi He a message: 『After training, come by the fourth floor of the research institute. ～Xing』

After sending it, he exhaled deeply. Sigh…

…

A quarter of an hour later, training was over.

Qi He, having received the message, headed toward the research institute.

Yu Tianxing also went down to the fourth floor, preparing to use the main control room to contact headquarters. Contact between subordinates and superiors was more formal this way.

Just as he descended the stairs, he happened to run into Yan Chuanbai.

Seeing his hurried steps, Yan Chuanbai lifted a brow. “Something up?”

“No, just going to the control room to contact headquarters.”

“I happen to need to make my report as well. Let’s go together.”

The two of them walked down the bright, polished corridor.

After a few steps, Yu Tianxing couldn’t hold back. “Major General Zhong wants to speak with Qi He.”

There was the faintest pause in Yan Chuanbai’s stride before he said, “Oh? About what?”

“He wants to transfer Qi He to Base II.”

After the words left his mouth, there was no reply from beside him.

Yu Tianxing turned his head. Yan Chuanbai’s profile was sharply defined, his expression calm in the light. “…You don’t have anything to say about that?”

Yan Chuanbai: “Say what?”

They weren’t exactly close. The past few days, perhaps, some lines had been crossed.

But today, he was clear-headed again.

Yu Tianxing withdrew his gaze, awkwardly muttering, “Alright then, nothing.”

—

Qi He arrived at the research institute not long after.

He’d never been to the fourth floor before.

It was said to be where the main control room was located, generally used to oversee the entire base or communicate with headquarters.

Since the base was currently at peace, that left only one possibility.

Steeling himself, he pushed the door open.

When it swung wide, he saw Yan Chuanbai standing inside as well.

Their eyes met, and Yan Chuanbai quietly looked away. Qi He blinked, then turned to Yu Tianxing. “You needed me for something?”

“Major General Zhong wants to speak with you.”

As he spoke, Yu Tianxing connected the call to headquarters.

Qi He’s gaze dropped to the array of dials and control keys in front of him. After three tones, the line went through. A man’s voice, steady and middle-aged—forties, perhaps—came through: “This is Zhong Panqing.”

The voice sounded faintly familiar.

Last time in the grove… Qi He glanced at Yan Chuanbai.

Yan Chuanbai also returned the look with a deep gaze of his own.

“Major General Zhong, Qi He is here,” Yu Tianxing said.

Qi He drew back his gaze. “Major General Zhong.”

Zhong Panqing said, “Hello, Qi He. In the matter of quelling the rebellion last time, you rendered great service. Headquarters greatly admires your courage and skill.”

Qi He replied, “I dare not claim credit—it was only a small… effort.”

Two pairs of eyes beside him were cast on him, steady and intent.

Zhong Panqing continued, “Since you are unwilling to join the military department, we respect your decision. But given your S-class spiritual strength and outstanding combat ability, we hope to transfer you to Base II, to balance the combat power between the two sides.”

Transfer him to Base II?

Qi He asked, “Is the combat power there insufficient?”

“Base II has only one S-class combat-type ability user, but his strength does not compare to Chuanbai’s.”

Zhong Panqing then asked, “Are you willing?”

The main control room fell quiet.

Yu Tianxing glanced at Qi He, then quickly at Yan Chuanbai. Yan Chuanbai said nothing, standing just a meter away from Qi He, one hand in his pocket, head lowered so that no expression could be read.

Amid the silence, Qi He suddenly said, “I’m sorry, but I don’t want to go.”

The voice on the other end of the comms seemed momentarily stunned. “Why?”

Although Zhong Panqing was asking for his opinion, even in the apocalypse, the military still represented authority. Very few people would reject a reassignment so directly.

The last person to do so had been Yan Chuanbai.

Zhong Panqing’s tone was gentle: “Is there some reason you truly cannot overcome?”

Qi He fell silent.

In his mind, the system was beeping nonstop: [Plot! Plot! Hurry up and think of what to say.]

“Forget it, I’ll just tell the truth.”

[?]

Qi He lifted his gaze toward Yan Chuanbai.

Then, with a melancholy sigh, he said to Zhong Panqing, “I can’t leave Yan Chuanbai.”

————————————————

Author’s Note:

Yan Chuanbai: Keep your distance, keep your distance, keep your distance.

Qi He: Breathes

Yan Chuanbai: …Heh. Quite the tactic.

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