Run the Plot Ch.44

Chapter 44: Reversal

Le Yunyu’s pupils trembled violently.

He shot a quick glance at Yan Chuanbai, then back at Qi He. “…to me?”

[Time remaining until the end of the plot: 2 seconds.]

—No time left.

In his rush, Qi He forced out a sound first. “Hey.”

Then, following the breath he exhaled, the next line came out naturally: “I really missed you…”

Le Yunyu couldn’t even free his hands.

His eyes widened — Miss him? Miss him dying, maybe?

The instant the line was finished, a sharp ding! rang in Qi He’s mind: [Plot cleared. Awaiting next release.]

Qi He let out a breath of relief and released Le Yunyu.

Under the silent stares of everyone present, he said casually, “After singing that line, I feel a lot better.”

Everyone: “…”

Zhuge Dun, still holding a steamed bun with a bite taken out of it, stared at Qi He and mumbled, “See? I told you, you can’t just drink soup without eating carbs.”

Qi He: “…”

With that segment of the plot over, the weakness spreading through his body gradually faded. He took a moment to steady himself and pushed himself upright. The surrounding gazes were still following him when Xi Moqing spoke up:

“Should we have the military doctor check you out?”

“No need.”

Qi He sat back down at the table. “Some carbs will do the trick.”

A bit of color returned to his pale face.

Seeing that he didn’t seem to be in serious condition, everyone else also sat back down and resumed eating.

Yan Chuanbai still leaned against the wall, his gaze fixed on Qi He.

Qi He, however, paid no attention to the looks around him. Lowering his head, he took a bite of the bun while sorting through the information between the lines echoing in his mind: Infected virus; awaiting next release.

As expected, after completing the task of “causing Yan Chuanbai’s infection,” his role was meant to go offline as well.

…

After dinner, everyone returned to their respective guard rooms.

Yan Chuanbai and Qi He walked in front.

The adjutant followed a short distance behind. After walking silently for a while, Yan Chuanbai, looking straight ahead, said,

“What happened to you just now?”

Qi He replied, “Didn’t eat carbs. Low blood sugar.”

Yan Chuanbai seemed to glance at him, and after a pause suddenly asked, “Then what was that you drank earlier?”

Qi He’s steps faltered slightly.

He didn’t know if Yan Chuanbai was just making conversation or probing for something, so he emphasized the first word: “Broth.”

The warning program didn’t trigger.

Beside him came a quiet murmur: “Tofu and cabbage—what kind of ‘broth’ is that?”

Qi He’s expression didn’t change. “I added sorghum. I call it gaotang (high soup), so it’s gaotang.”

“……”

Yan Chuanbai looked at him for a moment, then turned away. The shadow in his dark eyes quietly deepened.

By the time they returned to the guard room, it was already 12:30.

Less than five hours remained before the antibody injection.

Once the door closed, Qi He turned to Yan Chuanbai. “Take off your mask. Let me see your… pattern.”

Yan Chuanbai’s lips curved faintly, somewhere between a smile and not. He removed the mask.

A layer of frost-like whiteness spread across the right half of his face. The blue-purple veins seemed to have crept further, and though his lips had lost their color, the faint aura emanating from him was enough to make one’s heart race.

At this rate, even the mask wouldn’t be able to hide it.

Qi He studied him for a moment. “There’ll be other teams patrolling outside the city this afternoon. You shouldn’t go.”

Yan Chuanbai looked at him. “What about you?”

At this point, all they could do was wait.

Qi He sat down on the sofa. “I’m not going out either.”

Yan Chuanbai’s expression eased slightly. He sat down beside him. “Alright.”

—

The waiting felt both endless and fleeting.

Every half hour, Qi He would call out, “System.”

The only reply that came was: [No plot currently available.]

When the time finally ticked to 5:00—

Yan Chuanbai suddenly stood up and put on his mask.

Qi He looked toward him. The mask just barely covered the spreading veins; any further and they would reach beyond the edge. Yan Chuanbai slid his gun into his belt, his tone calm.

“I have to go.”

In less than twenty minutes, he would completely turn into a zombie—he could no longer stay in the military headquarters, nor within the city.

Qi He rose, taking the last vial of antibody with him. “I’ll go with you.”

Yan Chuanbai looked at him for a few seconds, then said, “Alright.”

The two of them left the guard room together.

By now, all the patrolling ability-user squads had already returned to the city.

When they reached the city gate, the soldiers on duty were momentarily startled. “Colonel, are you and Mr. Qi going outside the city?”

Yan Chuanbai lowered his gaze slightly. “I’m going to stand guard outside.”

“But the patrol just finished—”

He lifted his eyes, and his gaze alone was commanding enough to silence them. “There are still potential threats.”

The soldier’s breath caught. “…Understood.”

Qi He followed Yan Chuanbai out through the gates.

Outside lay a wasteland of collapsed ruins. Shafts of daylight streamed through the massive hole in the sky above. Severed limbs and vines had already been cleared away, leaving only mounds of rock and dirt.

Yan Chuanbai’s condition could no longer be seen by anyone.

They found a spot farther out among the ruins — a collapsed area that had naturally formed a hollowed depression behind it.

After stepping inside, Yan Chuanbai sat down.

Qi He sat beside him, facing his direction.

Shielded by the rubble, the place felt like a secluded pocket of the world that belonged only to the two of them. Just a few hundred meters away stood the human base, while Yan Chuanbai intended to spend here the final ten-odd minutes of his life as a human being.

When the clock struck 5:19, he would leave this place.

…

Once they sat down, silence settled between them.

Qi He tried again: “System.”

The reply remained the same cold, mechanical message: [No plot currently available.]

After a brief pause, the man before him suddenly said, “Right.”

Yan Chuanbai turned toward the direction of the base, raised a hand, and activated his ability—

In F City, the massive chunks of ice suspended in midair began to dissipate, sublimating into thin mist. If he left, his ice ability would lose its sustaining force. Under the sunlight, the remaining ice would eventually melt, and the meltwater could carry potential contamination back into the city.

Yan Chuanbai’s side profile was calm and resolute. “The surrounding mutants have already been cleared. The ice barrier isn’t needed anymore. When the military arrives tomorrow, they’ll rebuild the fortress.”

Qi He tilted his head toward him. “If Headquarters asks, what reason are you going to give for leaving?”

Yan Chuanbai had already prepared an answer. “I’m thirty. It’s the age to take risks.”

“……”

Qi He offered helpfully, “How about this—you say your life is like the open wilderness. At thirty, you’ve decided to stand tall beneath the vast sky.”

Yan Chuanbai’s voice softened. “You always know what to say.”

Qi He nodded. “Of course I do.”

—

Amid their few exchanged words, time leapt forward.

It was already 5:15.

Qi He’s words trailed off. In his mind, he called out to the “System” once again—

The response was still the same, unchanged.

His hand, braced beside him, curled slightly. Even though countless past evaluations had trained him to accept any situation with calm composure—

At this very moment, some inexplicable emotion enveloped him, giving rise to a thought he couldn’t quite accept.

Was it because he had done everything he could, yet still couldn’t change the outcome?

Or was it because…

Qi He pressed his lips together lightly.

Across from him, Yan Chuanbai’s gaze rested quietly on his face, sliding from his tightly pressed lips to his tensed hand.

His own hand, just a foot away from Qi He’s, had already turned pale with a bluish tint. When he saw Qi He’s knuckles tighten, Yan Chuanbai’s fingertips twitched ever so slightly.

His heart was pounding violently. The urge to reach out was boiling in his veins—but in the end, he didn’t move any closer.

The time jumped to 5:18.

Qi He called out again. Still the same unresponsive panel.

Only silence answered inside his mind.

Until, suddenly, the time leaped to 5:19.

Yan Chuanbai’s eyelashes trembled. His heart sank—and then, unexpectedly, eased. The result was clear now.

At least his mind was still intact. Next, he would leave on his own, gather all the remaining mutants, and wipe them out—

A flash of grim resolve swept through his dark eyes.

But the next instant, another emotion quietly replaced it.

Yan Chuanbai lifted his gaze toward the person before him. The time had already ticked to 5:20. He spoke softly:

“Qi He.”

Qi He lifted his head from his thoughts—and met his eyes head-on.

Perhaps it was the heightened aggression brought on by infection, but in that instant, Qi He’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Yan Chuanbai looked straight at him. “I want to tell you…”

Suddenly—beep, beep! Two sharp tones cut through the moment.

Qi He froze, then looked down—it was his communicator.

He pulled it out, glanced at the screen, and abruptly stood up.

“Wait—!”

Yan Chuanbai halted mid-motion. Qi He slipped the communicator into his pocket and said quickly, “Stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”

His pulse was racing wildly.

He turned and leapt over the rubble, sprinting toward the outer edge.

From the collapsed opening ahead, shafts of daylight poured in. Just then, another beep! sounded in his mind.

A red system panel flashed before his eyes—then flickered erratically.

In the next instant, it began to distort and dissolve, crackling with static:

[PROGRAM ERROR] [PROGRAM ERR▇] [PRO▇▇▇]

Qi He stopped dead, holding his breath.

“…System?”

The red panel was gradually overtaken by black, as if sending him a signal—

Qi He drew in a deep breath, pulled out two preloaded nutrient vials, and downed them in one go. The empty tubes clattered against the ruins. His eyes sharpened as he pressed his hand to the device on his wrist.

His mental power surged—boiling to a peak, gathering once more at his fingertips.

Dust swirled and danced through the shafts of light like a storm of golden motes.

Under the influence of weak interactions, the very nature of particles shifted; lifeless matter seemed to awaken again.

Qi He’s head throbbed with sharp pain, sweat soaking through the back of his shirt. Then—his smart wristwatch flashed. His fingers relaxed slightly, vision swimming for a second before he steadied himself again.

He opened his mouth, just starting to say, “Sys—”

Beep!

A sound echoed in his mind once more.

[System loading.]

[■■■ Load successful ■■■]

Qi He held his breath for several seconds. “System?”

A burst of crackling static answered—followed by a voice exploding with excitement:

[He! I just took down the main program!!!]

A surge of emotion washed through Qi He. The corners of his lips curved faintly.

“…Congratulations,” he said softly. “You’re free.”

After the system’s initial burst of excitement, it suddenly fell silent as it glanced at the time.

[…The time’s already passed.]

Qi He’s eyes narrowed slightly. “It’s fine.”

The sound of helicopter rotors grew from a distant hum to a roaring whir.

Wind whipped at his clothes as he lifted his gaze toward the light streaming through the collapsed opening—

It was a helicopter from Base I.

—

Behind the ruins, Yan Chuanbai remained where he was.

Qi He had told him not to leave, so he stayed without hesitation.

He hadn’t wasted the time either. On his communicator, he had finalized the last of his strategic plans and handover documents—ready to be sent to the base and headquarters the moment he left.

Just as he finished typing, a sound reached his ears.

Yan Chuanbai looked up—and saw Qi He’s figure returning from beyond the rubble.

Qi He’s face was pale to the point of translucence.

It was exactly like that moment last night—when he’d heard a sound on the roof, gone to check, and seen him standing there, fragile yet unbroken—

For an instant, Yan Chuanbai’s heartbeat stopped, only resuming once he confirmed the other was still alive.

Qi He sat down beside him, breathing lightly and unevenly.

Yan Chuanbai guessed that he’d gone to make another desperate attempt just now. But the time had already passed, and everyone’s life was precious. Especially Qi He’s.

He finally spoke. “Qi He.”

Yan Chuanbai’s gaze was focused as never before. “Stop exhausting yourself for me.” His lips curved faintly. “Take care of yourself. I—”

“Wait,” Qi He interrupted, catching his breath. “Don’t talk like you’re saying your last words.”

Yan Chuanbai: “…”

Qi He pulled out a small vial of golden liquid that had just been thawed. “You might not be dying just yet.”

“?”

He disinfected the syringe and drew the liquid into it.

He pulled Yan Chuanbai closer for an intramuscular injection. This time, no warning sounded.

“You have a vial of healthy blood stored with Meng Yan. When the antibody was successfully developed, she immediately used your blood to create the serum and had it delivered within twenty-four hours.”

The serum contained a higher concentration of antibodies, taking effect quickly and with minimal side effects.

“You can think of it as being ‘activated’ first, then injected.”

When the last bit of serum was pushed in, Qi He withdrew the needle.

He watched as the veins beneath the skin gradually regained their color, as though a force was finally reversing the infection.

Suppressing the surge in his chest, he murmured, “You’ll be fine.”

There was a brief silence before the man before him asked quietly, “What about you?”

Qi He froze. Looking up, he guessed Yan Chuanbai might have realized something. “…I’m fine too.”

Yan Chuanbai smiled faintly. “Is that so.”

In the stillness that followed, an unspoken tension seemed to ripple between them.

After a few heartbeats, Qi He looked away.

He was about to stand when the man before him said suddenly, “I didn’t finish what I was saying earlier.”

“What?”

As Qi He lifted his gaze, Lan Chuanbai leaned forward—

one hand braced at his side, his forehead gently resting in the hollow of Qi He’s shoulder.

“I was saying,” his voice low, steady, “that I’ve really fallen for you.”

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