Chapter 207: Mutation (Part V)
Bai Yinnian aimed the muzzle of his flamethrower directly at Xiao Ji.
After scrutinizing Xiao Ji for a moment, he finally shifted the aim slightly and responded cautiously:
“Good evening.”
Xiao Ji was also sizing up Bai Yinnian.
He had sharp contours, deep-set eyes, and a cold, piercing gaze.
The black tactical suit clung tightly to his upper body, outlining full, impressive pectoral muscles. A lean, narrow waist was tucked into black tactical trousers, making his legs appear exceptionally long.
One could even catch a glimpse of the smooth, rounded lines of his glutes.
The two stared at each other for a moment before Xiao Ji extended an invitation:
“Would you like something to eat?”
At that moment, the detector on Bai Yinnian’s wrist was flashing a red exclamation point, indicating extreme danger.
It meant that aside from himself, a high-risk pollutant was within a ten-meter radius.
The warning had only triggered after he stepped into the convenience store.
That meant the pollutant was inside this very building.
Yet, besides Xiao Ji, there was clearly no other living creature in front of him.
Bai Yinnian had encountered countless pollutants over the past three years.
But he had never seen one like Xiao Ji—someone who looked so harmless, with fair skin and handsome features, who could read a magazine, give a greeting, and cook Oden.
His gaze drifted over Xiao Ji, finally settling on the red patterns etched across his fair arms. He tested the waters:
“Those tattoos are quite unique.”
Xiao Ji lowered his eyes and looked at his arms.
“It wasn’t exactly a deliberate choice to get them.”
Bai Yinnian was currently conflicted.
According to regulations, any high-risk pollutant detected by a warning must be eliminated.
However, Xiao Ji appeared too calm, too normal. There were absolutely no signs that he would suddenly snap and attack.
Among the pollutants he had encountered earlier, some weren’t fully mutated.
They lacked reason but possessed an instinctive ability to camouflage themselves.
They would display an upper body that looked no different from a normal human, waiting quietly for a chance to hunt.
Once someone approached, their hidden lower body would transform into various grotesque forms to devour the victim.
Bai Yinnian couldn’t be certain of Xiao Ji’s condition. He could see Xiao Ji sitting there, but his lower half was concealed behind the counter, making it impossible to distinguish.
He kept his weapon raised, remaining in a combat-ready stance.
He glanced at the bubbling lychee soda next to Xiao Ji and spoke presumptuously:
“May I see your legs?”
Hearing this, Xiao Ji’s brows knitted slightly. Then, he wheeled his wheelchair backward, exposing his entire body to Bai Yinnian’s view. He spoke plainly:
“My legs are quite inconvenient.”
Bai Yinnian hadn’t expected that Xiao Ji would actually be disabled.
He looked at the legs resting obediently on the wheelchair’s footrests beneath clean, loose sweatpants. He felt a bit awkward as he spoke:
“My apologies. When you’ve done as many missions as I have, caution becomes second nature.”
Xiao Ji wheeled himself back to his original position. His attitude became a few degrees colder than before:
“Would you like something to eat?”
Bai Yinnian checked the time and sent a message to his teammates, telling them to wait a moment.
He wasn’t actually hungry.
The military shelters weren’t lacking food at the moment.
However, out of curiosity toward Xiao Ji, he decided to stay.
He grabbed a bottle of beer from the freezer, leaned against the counter, and said to Xiao Ji:
“Thank you.”
Xiao Ji used tongs to fish out several meat skewers, placing them into a disposable paper bowl. He divided them into two portions and even added an extra ladle of broth to Bai Yinnian’s bowl.
Bai Yinnian watched the methodical way he ate and asked:
“Were your legs like this from birth?”
“Probably not, but I don’t remember,” Xiao Ji replied, his voice devoid of emotion.
Bai Yinnian offered another apology, then said:
“The situation is grave right now. It’s dangerous for you to be out alone at night. If you don’t have urgent business, it’s best to stay indoors as much as possible.”
Xiao Ji didn’t argue with him or offer any explanation. He simply said:
“Thank you for the reminder.”
Bai Yinnian finished his Oden in large gulps and downed the beer. He crushed the aluminum can and tossed it into the trash bin by the counter.
“If you need, I can escort you back.”
Xiao Ji declined the offer. “No need. I live nearby. I can make it back on my own.”
Bai Yinnian didn’t push the matter further. He simply said:
“Thank you for the treat.”
With that, he turned and left the convenience store.
However, the moment he stepped into the car, he immediately spoke to the woman behind him:
“Liu Xi, link into all the surveillance equipment on the roads nearby. The person in that convenience store is problematic.”
Liu Xi received her instructions and began opening her laptop to request access permissions. She sniffed the air.
“Boss, did you go in there to eat Oden?”
Bai Yinnian let out a dry cough. “Don’t ask questions you shouldn’t ask.”
Since Bai Yinnian hadn’t given the order to move, the four of them sat in the car with the engine off, waiting by the roadside.
Half an hour later, through the window, Bai Yinnian saw Xiao Ji emerge from the store, clutching a full shopping bag.
He activated the wheelchair’s electric mode and began traveling in the opposite direction of Bai Yinnian’s vehicle.
Bai Yinnian reached out his hand, and Liu Xi handed him the laptop.
He watched Xiao Ji’s figure receding in the surveillance feed and spoke to the driver: “Section 103, follow him.”
Liu Xi didn’t quite understand. “What’s so strange about that man?”
Bai Yinnian remained silent, his eyes fixed on the screen.
As he watched Xiao Ji cross that block and enter another district that hadn’t been cleared yet, his concentration intensified.
With one hand supporting the laptop, his other hand rested on the flamethrower, prepared to launch a rescue at any second.
Very quickly, he saw a pollutant appear behind Xiao Ji.
“Faster, middle of Section 103.”
The vehicle began to accelerate. Just as Bai Yinnian prepared himself, rolling down the window and aiming the muzzle of the flamethrower outside, he saw the pollutant merely hover behind Xiao Ji for a moment before turning around and leaving.
“Wait. Slow down. Maintain your distance.”
Bai Yinnian continued to stare at the screen.
Over the next half hour, he discovered that while there were many pollutants along the way, all of them seemed to turn a blind eye to Xiao Ji.
And Xiao Ji himself—it was unclear if he even realized the pollutants existed—continued to drive his flimsy wheelchair at a leisurely, constant speed.
Liu Xi and the other man in the back also noticed the anomaly.
Liu Xi was stunned. “The pollutants can’t see him?”
The other man raised an eyebrow. “Boss, what’s the deal with this?”
Bai Yinnian couldn’t be certain yet.
If Xiao Ji wasn’t being attacked because he was “one of them,” that clearly didn’t make sense.
Because Bai Yinnian himself was also classified as a high-risk pollutant.
Yet he still attracted the attention of low-level pollutants and triggered their aggressive behavior.
They followed him all the way to the apartment complex where Xiao Ji lived. After lingering for a moment, Bai Yinnian finally spoke:
“Let’s head back first. Send someone to keep a close eye on him.”
Translator’s Note: The plot thickens! Xiao Ji is a “pollutant” that other pollutants ignore, which is a huge red flag in this world. Interestingly, Bai Yinnian admits he is also a “high-risk pollutant” (高危污染物). In many “sentinel/guide” or “post-apocalyptic” tropes in Danmei, the heroes often carry the very virus they fight, using it to power their abilities. Here, it seems being “natural” vs “artificial” might be a key distinction later on. Also, shout out to Xiao Ji for getting a free high-end wheelchair and a meal while the world ends!
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The world building of this arc is super interesting. Like Bee says, I definitely see some similarities with guide/sentinel but I like how this setup doesn’t force proximity in the same way ABO and guide/sentinel does. Can’t wait for more hehe