Chapter 124: Teasing Zhan Ye
Walking to the room at the very end of the corridor on the top floor of the Medical Department, An Se stood before the metal door shimmering with a cold light. He swiped his authorization card, and the heavy door slid open with a whirr. Immediately, Zhan Ye’s impatient voice rang out from inside.
“An Se? Did you die out there? Why did it take you so long?”
Hearing the blustering voice, An Se couldn’t help but rub his temples as he walked in at a leisurely pace.
Zhan Ye looked at An Se at the door, his brows knit into a tight knot.
“How much longer are you going to keep me here? It’s boring as hell. Can’t you just tell the public that you developed a more efficient inhibitor and cured me completely?”
A few days ago, he could still have Sentinels from Team 3 come in to keep him company for a bit. But lately, An Se had taken back the access cards for the entrance. His Team 3 members couldn’t get in even if they wanted to. He was practically going stir-crazy.
“If I really developed something like that, do you think you’d be the first person I’d use it on?”
An Se pulled over a chair and sat down lazily.
“Then when do you plan on letting me out?”
Zhan Ye let out a helpless sigh and slumped onto the bed dejectedly, looking like he had given up on life.
“At the very least, wait until I finish my research on that mass of red mist extracted from your body.”
At the mention of the red mist, Zhan Ye inevitably thought of the erotic scene when Su Tang had purified him that day.
As he recalled the feeling, a familiar sensation began to rise. Zhan Ye immediately sat up straight and squeezed his legs together.
An Se caught the glimpse of Zhan Ye’s pathetic display out of the corner of his eye, and a hint of interest flashed in his gaze. He wondered how Zhan Ye would react if he told him that Su Tang, the Guide he couldn’t stop thinking about, would be transferring to his department in a few days.
“Fine. Since you’re finally here, hurry up and tell me—what’s been happening outside?”
To maintain his “comatose” image, he hadn’t even opened his bracelet for days, fearing the high-level officials would track his internet history.
He had voluntarily cut off all communication, truly living the life of a caveman. He was essentially isolated from the world. Occasionally, he could hear the sounds of gossip and chatter in the corridor outside, and he could make out familiar names like Mo Xiao and Su Tang. He knew something must have happened, but the soundproofing was damnably good; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the full picture.
Now that An Se was here, he could finally satisfy his curiosity.
An Se watched Zhan Ye’s restless appearance and intentionally dragged out his words.
“What else could be happening? It’s just the high-level officials playing their little games again. Mo Xiao and Su Tang…”
“What about Mo Xiao and Su Tang?”
Zhan Ye perked up instantly, his eyes wide and round.
“They’re okay, right? Did those old fogies cause trouble for them while I was gone?”
An Se slowly pulled a pack of nutrient solution from his pocket, tore it open, took a sip, and said indistinctly:
“Trouble? Sure, there was trouble, but it’s been resolved.”
An Se gave a brief summary of how Shen Ji had reported them and how Mo Xiao had taken the blame. As expected, he heard Zhan Ye break out into a flurry of curses.
“How dare that Shen Ji guy? Is he insane? To do something so low-class…” Zhan Ye gritted his teeth in anger.
“I knew he’d pull something like this. I shouldn’t have brought him back when he collapsed in the pollution zone. I should have just let him rot there.”
“So what now? Is Mo Xiao okay?”
Though he was jealous of the relationship between Mo Xiao and Su Tang, he admired Mo Xiao’s actions in this instance. This was what a Sentinel should do, rather than looking for ways to threaten a Guide like that lunatic.
“He’s fine. He took some minor superficial injuries. Like you, he has to play the part of a patient in the Medical Department for a while.”
An Se raised an eyebrow, watching Zhan Ye cycle between rage and calm. It was exceptionally entertaining. So this was the joy of teasing… whatever he was. He finally understood the appeal.
Thus, An Se decided to go all in, relaying the rest of the story in detail. When he reached the part where the Tower demanded Su Tang change teams and Shen Ji and Yasuo fought over her, the man surprisingly didn’t burst into a rage. Instead, he looked quite calm.
“So, I’m eligible to compete as well, right?”
An Se couldn’t help but tilt his head and laugh. So that was what he was thinking about? Watching the man stare at him with wide, hopeful eyes, An Se’s mischievous streak took over. He smiled and shook his head at Zhan Ye.
“Why? Why doesn’t my Team 3 have eligibility?”
“Su Tang and I have been through life and death together. She even helped me…” Zhan Ye paused, a blush creeping over his cheeks. “Through logic and reason, it should be me picking up where Mo Xiao left off!”
An Se lightly smoothed his sleeve.
“Because Su Tang has already made her choice.”
“Who?” Zhan Ye clenched his fists. “Shen Ji or Yasuo?”
An Se watched Zhan Ye’s knuckles turn white. He hid the smile in his eyes and intentionally paused for half a second before speaking slowly.
“Neither.”
“Neither?” Zhan Ye froze, his brow furrowing deeper. “Then which team did she pick? Did the Tower create a new one?”
An Se finally couldn’t hold it in and let out a low laugh, his finger tapping a rhythm on his knee.
“She chose… the Medical Department. Starting tomorrow, she’s one of my people.”
“The Medical Department!”
Zhan Ye practically bounced off the bed as if he’d been electrocuted, the bed frame creaking under the force.
Seeing An Se staring at him with a smile, how could he not realize he’d been played by this guy?
His face turned bright red instantly. Both angry and anxious, he grabbed his jacket from the bed and hurled it at An Se.
“Damn you! Is it really that fun to mess with me?”
An Se tilted his head, dodging the flying object, and nodded with a smile.
“Alright, alright, enough. Calm down and think about it. Her coming here is the best possible arrangement, isn’t it?”
Zhan Ye turned his back, refusing to look at An Se’s smug “villainous success” expression. He tried to stabilize his emotions, but a sense of grievance began to well up. If he hadn’t been injured in the pollution zone, he wouldn’t be stuck here.
If he weren’t locked up, he could have fought for a chance in front of Su Tang. Maybe she would have been willing to come to Team 3.
But now? He was stuck here unable to leave, and someone else had reaped the benefits.
Just the thought of it—combined with the sight of An Se’s irritating smile behind him—made it impossible for Zhan Ye to suppress that feeling of being wronged.
After a few deep breaths, Zhan Ye decided not to suffer in silence. He turned back around and held out his hand to An Se.
“Give it.”
“Give what?”
Translator’s Note:
The idiom “近朱者赤，近墨者黑” (Jìn zhū zhě chì, jìn mò zhě hēi) literally means “he who touches vermilion becomes red, and he who touches ink becomes black.” It’s used to say that people are influenced by their surroundings and the people they associate with.
See you in the next update! (And yes, the Zhan Ye vs. An Se dynamic is gold).
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