Chapter 7: A Mere Fatal Wound
Since that day, Tang Yu’an became increasingly certain that Zuo Tinghan was avoiding him.
He was already rarely seen, and now their paths never crossed.
However, he felt things were still progressing in a positive direction, as Wei Langxing occasionally added a point or two to Zuo Tinghan’s favorability, finally reaching zero.
Tang Yu’an had asked him if he had interacted with Zuo Tinghan, but Wei Langxing said they hadn’t communicated at all. This puzzled Tang Yu’an. How could he increase someone’s favorability without interaction?
Unbeknownst to him, Wei Langxing’s mind was simply occupied with the thought “out of sight, out of mind.” Zuo Tinghan not being around made him feel much more comfortable, and naturally, he disliked him less.
In short, the relationship between the protagonists was improving, and Tang Yu’an felt relieved, his days passing smoothly.
This world was truly wonderful. Not to mention the comfortable accommodations, he also discovered a snack area in the building, mostly filled with sweets, much to his liking.
He had gotten into the habit of carrying a box of fruit candies with him, just in case low blood sugar affected his mission performance.
Onboarding training was progressing steadily. This peaceful life continued until one night.
That day, Tang Yu’an was awakened from his sleep by the system—
[Detected excessive emotional fluctuations in Protagonist Number Two, Zuo Tinghan. Please pay attention to the protagonist’s physical and mental health, Host, and address any potential issues.]
There it was again. It seemed his problems hadn’t been resolved.
Emotional fluctuations at this time likely meant nightmares.
Tang Yu’an got dressed, walking towards Zuo Tinghan’s room while thinking of an excuse to visit.
Should he say he suddenly had the urge to have a heart-to-heart talk in the middle of the night?
That sounded a bit unusual. He might get punched…
Arriving at the door, he was about to knock when he noticed it was ajar. Through the gap, he could see the light on inside, but no one was there.
Where had Zuo Tinghan gone in the middle of the night?
Oh no, had he missed something? Had something already happened?!
“System, do you know where Zuo Tinghan is?”
[Location function available. Requires ten health points. Use?]
A healthy person usually had one hundred health points. Below sixty, they would get sick, and below thirty, they would be critically ill.
But it wasn’t a bad idea to use it in emergencies, as it could recover slowly.
“Use.”
Feeling a chill spread through his body, Tang Yu’an leaned against the cold wall, exhaling.
What was going on? He had used it before; it was just ten points, it shouldn’t have such a strong effect…
The system offered an explanation: [Due to data errors in the host’s body, the health point calculation coefficient has malfunctioned. The function’s usage conditions are being adjusted… Recalculation complete. Forty health points deducted. Remaining health points: sixty.]
Tang Yu’an: “…”
Why didn’t you say that earlier?
But it was done. He couldn’t suffer in vain. Tang Yu’an decided to find Zuo Tinghan quickly before he did something foolish.
This location… why was it outside?
Tang Yu’an went out as well, hurrying for several minutes before finally spotting Zuo Tinghan walking down the street.
He wasn’t even wearing shoes, just slowly walking along the roadside in his pajamas, like a zombie.
If he appeared suddenly, Zuo Tinghan might think he was being monitored, so Tang Yu’an decided to follow discreetly.
[Tracking scenario detected. Automatically triggering skill “Untraceable”.]
A mask appeared on Tang Yu’an’s face.
“…Wouldn’t wearing a mask at night make me look even more suspicious?”
[This mask has the special function of concealing identity. As long as the host doesn’t reveal themselves, no one will recognize you!]
That was more like it.
But Tang Yu’an’s relief at finally acquiring a useful skill was short-lived, as it started to rain after about ten minutes.
Already feeling weak from the health point deduction, he couldn’t help but shiver.
“System, is there a rain-avoiding skill?”
[Rain avoidance function available. Automatically calculating… Requires twenty health points. Use?]
Forget it, any more deductions and he might not be able to walk.
Tang Yu’an tightened his jacket, feeling the cold seep through his skin and into his bones.
This made his mind sluggish, so he didn’t react immediately when it happened.
He only saw a flash of cold light, and then Zuo Tinghan, walking ahead, collapsed silently.
He snapped back to alertness.
Tang Yu’an ran through the rain towards the figure on the ground, but slowed down when he saw a man in a black hood emerge from around the corner.
This was the person who had just attacked Zuo Tinghan with mental energy.
The man was tall and imposing. The dim light obscured his face, but his voice sounded like he was in his thirties or forties.
“Get lost. Don’t interfere.”
From his words, he might be Zuo Tinghan’s enemy. Tang Yu’an was curious about what had happened to the protagonist, but this wasn’t the time to pry.
The wet clothes clung to the man’s body, outlining his muscular physique. He was clearly well-trained. Tang Yu’an could only bluff with his mental energy; he would be no match in a real fight.
So, he glanced at Zuo Tinghan on the ground, confirming he was still alive, just injured, then took a step towards the man in black.
“He’s mine.”
The man in black hadn’t expected to be intercepted after finally finding the perfect opportunity. Rage surged within him, but unsure of the other’s strength, he didn’t dare act rashly.
This slender figure showed no fear, even speaking so boldly. Was he certain he could win?
And he was wearing a mask. Could he be an assassin sent by that organization to silence Zuo Tinghan…?
But he was still unwilling to give up, deciding to test the other’s strength.
Mental energy formed a wind blade, hurtling towards Tang Yu’an, but it was effortlessly dispelled with a casual wave of his hand!
His pupils constricted. To shatter his attack in an instant, too fast for the naked eye to see, without even a sense of energy collision… the gap in their strength must be enormous…
What terrifying power!
It must be that organization! They were after him!
He recalled the rumors, about people being kept in cages, constantly pressured, a needle piercing their temples…
The masked figure took another step forward, and he involuntarily stepped back.
“If you don’t leave, I’ll kill you too.”
The faint light of the streetlamp fell on him. The silver mask covered his eyes, revealing only a sliver of pale skin and crimson lips, like a Rakshasa demon born from a sea of blood.
The man in black shuddered, the tension snapping, and fled in panic.
Tang Yu’an watched him go, even catching the splash as he tripped and fell in his haste.
…Was he really that scary?
With the danger gone, Tang Yu’an turned to Zuo Tinghan, who was trying to push himself up with his hand.
Blood and rainwater mixed together, his hair completely soaked. But he didn’t look pathetic, because his eyes were unfocused, empty black pits, somewhat unsettling.
He knelt on the ground, looking up. The rain blurred his vision. He blinked, finally seeing the person standing before him.
Beneath the silver mask were emotionless eyes, the heavy night and rain washing over his pale skin.
He didn’t want to think about when he had offended this person. As long as the outcome was the same, he didn’t care who carried it out.
“I know you’re here to kill me too,” he said calmly. “Do it.”
“I’m not here to kill you,” the other’s voice was dreamlike, like a heartbeat, close yet unreal. “I’m here to save you.”
Tang Yu’an saw no need to hide his identity, taking off the mask.
With its effect gone, he watched as Zuo Tinghan’s gaze shifted from confusion to surprise. He stared, seemingly bewildered as to why he hadn’t recognized him earlier.
To his surprise, Zuo Tinghan didn’t ask why he was there, or if he had been following him. He simply accepted it, as if he didn’t care.
He was waiting for someone to end his life, Tang Yu’an thought. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have simply stood there and taken the initial attack without resistance.
He didn’t offer a hand, but sat down beside him.
They had walked quite a distance. This street was almost deserted even during the day, let alone at night.
Flanked by abandoned buildings, they sat in silence, side by side, like statues in the rain.
Tang Yu’an spoke first: “Is your wound serious?”
Zuo Tinghan didn’t answer, but Tang Yu’an sensed a hint of defiance in his silence.
He was angry at himself, thinking that even if it was serious, he didn’t care. Bleeding to death would be just fine.
He hadn’t brought any communication devices, and this place was deserted. Tang Yu’an couldn’t drag someone who didn’t want to be treated to a hospital.
“System, assess his injuries.”
[If left untreated, he will die within an hour.]
Tang Yu’an: “…”
No problem, a mere fatal wound. He had a solution.
“Don’t you have those special healing pills? Give me one.”
He had saved many protagonists’ lives with those.
[Healing pill available. Requires twenty health points. Use?]
“Wasn’t it five points before?”
[The host’s body data in this world has encountered errors. The conversion rate has changed.]
…Fine, use it.
He wouldn’t die from losing twenty points, but he couldn’t let the protagonist die.
The next second, a small pill appeared in his hand.
He offered it to Zuo Tinghan, who ignored it.
He rephrased: “It’s poison.”
Zuo Tinghan slowly turned to him, seemingly puzzled.
“Painless, it’ll end your suffering quickly.”
Zuo Tinghan took it without hesitation and swallowed it.
After a moment, he asked: “Will you get in trouble for killing me?”
He didn’t want to think about why Tang Yu’an would do this, only fearing that his death would implicate him.
Tang Yu’an countered: “You’re not afraid of dying, but you’re afraid of dragging me down?”
The rain stopped. Zuo Tinghan looked at the dark night sky, devoid of stars.
“I should have died a long time ago.”
He exhaled: “How much time do I have left?”
Tang Yu’an made it up: “Half an hour.”
Zuo Tinghan paused for a few seconds, then said: “I know the person who came to kill me.”
When facing death, people often wanted to unburden themselves.
He told Tang Yu’an that he wasn’t alone when he was captured by the organization.
“A comrade was with me. We were ambushed and trapped in a cold storage unit.”
Captured by the enemy, they were bound to face inhumane torture. It was better to end it themselves.
He had a gun. They decided he would kill her, then himself.
But when he fired the second shot, the gun jammed.
The door they were holding against was cut open. He was pinned down, his last sight the corpse of his comrade, killed by his own hand.
The person who attacked him tonight was his comrade’s older brother.
He had expected Tang Yu’an to say it wasn’t his fault. But Tang Yu’an told him that his comrade was brave for choosing death, but he was also brave for choosing to live.
He said, “You’ve endured for so long, you must be tired.”
Tears streamed down his face. How could he not be tired? The feeling of losing control during the brainwashing, the fragmented memories blurring the lines between illusion and reality… he couldn’t eat or sleep, he felt like he was going insane.
“How much longer?”
He wanted to know how much time he had left to talk. He suddenly wanted to talk to Tang Yu’an.
Tang Yu’an took his trembling hand: “The Zuo Tinghan of the past has reached his end, but the Zuo Tinghan of now has a lifetime ahead of him.”
“Wha… what?”
Tang Yu’an explained that although the pill wasn’t poisonous, the moment he swallowed it, he had died once. When the sun rose tomorrow, he would be a completely different person.
Although he didn’t know the future plot, Tang Yu’an knew that as a protagonist, Zuo Tinghan was destined for great things.
“Zuo Tinghan, your life has just begun.”
The jammed bullet, it was as if it had finally fallen at his feet, granting him a new life.
Seeing his condition stabilize, Tang Yu’an tried to help him up: “Let’s go home.”
But as he stood, dizziness washed over him, the world spinning. He didn’t fall onto the cold ground, but into a firm embrace.
Zuo Tinghan held his collapsing form, the warmth of his skin alarming him.
What was going on? Was Tang Yu’an injured too…?
His heart pounded, a fear greater than any near-death experience gripping him.
