Chapter 1: Love and marriage are basic human rights!
Blood and Wine: Prologue
The 267th Military Region Comprehensive Hospital was particularly lifeless in the winter, lacking any signs of greenery.
It was almost quitting time, around 5:20 in the afternoon, and there weren’t many people inside the hospital.
The door of the Hospital History Exhibition Hall suddenly slammed open from the inside. A doctor in a white coat rushed out, nearly colliding with a janitor who was sweeping the entrance.
“Dr. Peng?” The janitor called out but received no response.
The winter wind was still cold, and even without snow, the chill seeped into the bones.
The doctor hurriedly entered the secure corridor of the outpatient building, ran all the way up, and finally pushed open the door to the vice dean’s office on the eighth floor.
The Vice Dean was in the middle of a meeting with a visitor. The room was filled with the aroma of tea, but it was abruptly disrupted. Both the Vice Dean and the visitor stared at the unexpected guest in surprise.
“We have an important surgery scheduled for tomorrow, don’t we?” The vice dean’s face turned serious. “What’s the matter with you now?”
Everyone could see that something was seriously wrong with the doctor. His face was covered in sweat, his pale lips trembled incessantly, and his wide-open eyes were filled with fear. His gaze darted between the Vice Dean’s and the visitor’s faces.
“…Peng Hu, what’s wrong?” The vice dean’s expression changed. “Did something go wrong with the surgeries this afternoon?”
“N-No… it’s not…” The doctor suddenly clutched his abdomen, and with an “Oh,” he dropped down to his knees and began to vomit.
Tears streamed down his face, and after he finished vomiting, he started coughing and crying.
“Operating… Operating Room 6… It’s all blood…” His voice was slurred and unclear, whether from fear or discomfort. His body trembled uncontrollably. “The walls and the floor… covered in blood…”
The vice dean was taken aback. “What are you saying?”
“So much blood, so many people…” the doctor looked up at the vice dean, repeating the same six words over and over again.
When other doctors and nurses came to take Peng Hu away, the vice dean’s back was already covered in cold sweat. He looked awkwardly at his visitor, at a loss for words.
“Can Dr. Peng still perform the surgery tomorrow?” The visitor, who had been sitting on the sofa all this time, remained calm and composed. There was no hint of displeasure or impatience in their voice, only a slow pace as each word landed on the vice Dean’s heart like a heavy stone. “We only allow him to operate. No one else.”
After nodding and bowing and seeing the visitor off, the vice dean wandered alone at the hospital entrance, his brow furrowed and unable to relax.
In reality, Peng Hu’s words had confused him.
Because there was no Operating Room 6 in the hospital.
Blood and Wine—
The mountain ash trees in the courtyard of the Crisis Management Office would begin to bloom in late March.
These dozens of trees were the office’s signature flowers. When they bloomed, it appeared as if there was a continuous golden river. It was said that taking a photo under the trees would bring good luck, which was favored by the working-class employees in the office who were struggling financially.
Qin Ge’s desk was next to the window, overlooking a row of mountain ash trees.
But at this moment, Qin Ge had no interest in admiring the view. The papers and stationery on his desk were in complete disarray, an ink bottle had spilled, and several unfamiliar stones were soaking in the nearly expired Hero brand ink.
Qin Ge wanted to pick up the paper, but the ink had turned into a paste, sticking the paper tightly to the desk.
He had no choice but to tear them off one by one.
[Protest against the unjust marriage system!]
Qin Ge remained expressionless as he tossed the first piece of paper into the wastebasket.
[We want to get married!]
The second piece was torn into pieces and also discarded.
[Love and marriage are basic human rights!]
Qin Ge painstakingly peeled the paper off the desk.
Passing by, Bai Xiaoyuan looked at him sympathetically. “Is this all caused by the underground people*?”
“Yes,” Qin Ge responded.
“Did you offend them?” Bai Xiaoyuan glanced at the written words on the paper. “Their marriage applications?”
“Yes,” Qin Ge answered again.
“Are underground people the most unreasonable special beings?” Bai Xiaoyuan continued, “That’s what the gossip in public accounts says.”
This time, Qin Ge didn’t respond.
In a world where ordinary people coexisted with special beings, there was a need for managers to maintain order.
The Crisis Management Office played such a role. Its full name was the Emergency Events and Crisis Management Office, responsible for managing all affairs related to special beings. It was an important department.
However, due to the office’s location in an old courtyard surrounded by commercial areas, residential areas, and various food streets, coupled with a lack of funding and poor management, several incidents involving underground people or semi-zombified humans* causing trouble had occurred just this year alone.
At this moment, the central area of the office was wide open, with a huge cavity. It was from here that the underground people dug tunnels to enter the office, causing chaos overnight.
Gao Tianyue, the Director of the Crisis Management Office, and the Head of Security were arguing.
The Head of Security’s voice was not as loud as Gao Tianyue’s, so he simply jumped onto a chair and waved his hand dramatically. “I’ve been telling you that there’s something wrong underground in the Crisis Management Office. If you had allocated the funds to fill the cavity last year, it wouldn’t be like this now! Gao Tianyue, did you pocket the money for yourself, enriching yourself?!”
Gao Tianyue’s temples bulged with anger. “Stop spouting nonsense!”
Qin Ge remained quiet in his corner. The words “Marriage Counseling/Partner Application” scrolled across the electronic display above his head.
“I’ve never seen a real underground person,” Bai Xiaoyuan said. “Are they all stubborn?”
“Yes.” Qin Ge started using a tissue to wipe the desk.
Bai Xiaoyuan waited for a moment, but when Qin Ge didn’t continue speaking, she asked again, “Are your hands trembling? Are you annoyed by the underground people?”
“No,” Qin Ge glanced up at her. Four words slipped from his thin lips, “I’m annoyed by you.”
Bai Xiaoyuan forced a smile, took the broom, and hurried away.
Qin Ge’s eyes were unique. The irises were a deep brown, while the pupils were a plain black, silently observing people with a penetrating coldness. Although he wasn’t temperamental, he always had an unfriendly demeanor.
Once you got to know him, you’d realize that he was a reserved person with no friends or hobbies. He spent all day buried in the archives of the Crisis Management Office.
Rather than saying he was difficult to get along with, it was more accurate to say that many people didn’t know how to get along with him.
After tidying up his desk, Qin Ge noticed that the Head of Security had already posted a notice outside the door, announcing the suspension of work for a day.
…A whole day off without even having to deal with any clients!
Though not easily discernible, Qin Ge was in a very good mood. He even smiled contentedly for a brief moment as he looked at the budding mountain ash trees outside the window.
It was his last day of rotation in the Crisis Management Office’s reception hall. Tomorrow, he could return to his original work in the archives.
For Qin Ge, there was nothing more fascinating than browsing through historical records of special beings.
After chromosomal mutations or infection by a special virus, ordinary people could become what was commonly known as “special beings”: underground people, semi-zombified humans, sentinels, guides, snowmen, cha lao (tea lady), sea children, werewolves…
Among all the special beings, the largest proportion consisted of those formed through chromosomal mutations: sentinels and guides.
These were two categories of special beings with exceptionally strong mental abilities. Their most distinctive feature, which set them apart from ordinary people and even other special beings, was their innate ability to manifest their spiritual world as a certain type of animal.
They referred to this manifested companion as their spirit body.
It was said that a powerful sentinel or guide would deeply love their spirit body and take great pride in it, wishing to showcase their spirit form at all times.
But Qin Ge was definitely not like that.
He was a guide but had no desire to release his spirit body.
That little thing was just too timid.
Qin Ge had never seen a spirit body that would be frightened to tears by the sound of frying dough sticks. He even wondered if there was something wrong with his own head for bringing forth such a timid little creature that was smaller than a millimeter.
There were several big-character posters on the wall, all of them filled with scathing criticisms of Qin Ge. He tore them down, and that’s when he noticed several commendation lists on the bulletin board.
Each list began with the same name: Xie Zijing.
Qin Ge couldn’t help but curl his lips.
As expected, behind the name “Xie Zijing” were a string of honors: Outstanding Sentinel of the Crisis Management Office’s Western Region Division, Outstanding Individual, Second-Class Individual Merit twice, Third-Class Collective Merit four times, and so on.
Xie Zijing, a sentinel from the Western Region’s first-tier team, had been frequently mentioned in recent years’ commendations and notices, garnering significant attention. It was said that on his first day at the Crisis Management Office, he had stationed himself under a snow-capped mountain and had stayed there for several years.
Qin Ge was curious about this sentinel, but even in the archives, he couldn’t find a photo of Xie Zijing.
It was normal for there to be no photos of first-tier sentinels and guides since they often carried out the most dangerous and classified missions. Qin Ge’s curiosity, like any other fluctuation in his emotions, came and went quickly.
After tearing down the posters, Qin Ge saw Bai Xiaoyuan, who had finished sweeping, rushing toward him with a broom in hand.
“Director Gao is looking for you,” she said. “Go to his office immediately.”
Qin Ge’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyelids began to twitch uncontrollably.
Gao Tianyue was the director of the Crisis Management Office, with a round head and big ears. He usually had a smiling face, but he couldn’t suppress his deeply hidden temper when dealing with the Head of Security.
It was said that the Head of Security had been Gao Tianyue’s love rival, and even after Gao Tianyue and his wife had been married for over thirty years, he still held a grudge.
But everyone in the Crisis Management Office knew that he was a shrewd individual, with even the legs of his glasses exuding astuteness.
Qin Ge entered the office and looked up to see Gao Tianyue, who had a compassionate expression.
“Qin Ge, don’t take the matter with the underground people to heart,” Gao Tianyue said.
Qin Ge nodded. “I’m not taking it to heart.”
Gao Tianyue continued, “They’ve also written some offensive words about you on the exterior walls.”
Qin Ge suddenly became curious. “What did they say about me?”
Gao Tianyue smiled. “They’re not nice words. Don’t think about it.”
Qin Ge thought to himself, If they’re not nice words, then why bring them up? He lost interest. “Never mind, it’s okay. I’ll just wash them off.”
After being infected by the petrification virus, underground people themselves became carriers of the virus. As a result, they were prohibited from marrying any ordinary humans. During his month-long rotation in the marriage registration and partner application positions, Qin Ge had rejected many requests from underground people, fully aware that he would likely be resented by some.
“I absolutely trust you. This incident is not your responsibility. However, in your work, try to be more tactful. Don’t be too rigid. The people are easily swayed. Speak nicely, and they will listen.” Gao Tianyue pushed a cup of tea in front of him, and then changed the topic. “Qin Ge, you’re capable and level-headed. Among your peers at the Crisis Management Office, there aren’t many talents like yours.”
The golden tea was clear and translucent, with a golden ring encircling the space between the tea and the cup’s rim.
Qin Ge’s heart sank. This was bad.
This was a premium Jin Jun Mei tea that Gao Tianyue couldn’t bear to drink even once a year.
Qin Ge’s eyelids seemed to be equipped with springs, bouncing uncontrollably.
“The organization has always placed the utmost importance on talented young individuals. Talented people should be given the opportunity to fulfill their potential in the most suitable positions without wasting their youth and potential.” Gao Tianyue rubbed his head and deftly moved his hair from the left side to cover the shining part of his receding hairline.
Qin Ge listened silently for over ten minutes before Gao Tianyue finally revealed his true purpose.
“The Department of Psychological Adjustment?” Qin Ge thought he had misheard. “Do we have such a department in our organization?”
“We didn’t have one before, but it will be established next month,” Gao Tianyue stood up and returned to his desk, rummaging through a pile of documents. “After careful consideration, you are the most suitable candidate. While there are many guides in the Crisis Management Office, none of them possess special abilities like yours.”
Qin Ge, who had been promoted from an ordinary clerk in the archives to the head of the Department of Psychological Adjustment, couldn’t help but press his temples. His eyelids were bouncing too vigorously, causing him a headache.
“What is the purpose of this department?”
Gao Tianyue sat back down in front of him with a file in hand and pointed to his own head.
“It’s for resolving issues in the ‘sea’,” Gao Tianyue said. “Although there is no war at the moment, there are increasing uncertainties. Let’s not talk about the Alarm Bell Association from over a decade ago. There are still many anti-sentinel and anti-guide organizations active today. The Crisis Management Office is an emergency department, so our sentinels and guides must not encounter any problems. Everyone’s ‘sea’ must be clean and pure.”
Qin Ge asked, “Is this why you wanted me specifically?”
“Yes,” Gao Tianyue said with a smile, “a psychological adjuster with your qualifications is incredibly valuable. How could I possibly give you away to someone else? Normally, there hasn’t been a suitable place for you to showcase your talents in the Crisis Management Office, but now, this is a great opportunity, and those in higher positions are paying close attention.”
Qin Ge took the file and was surprised to find that it wasn’t an appointment letter, but rather a self-report.
In the upper right corner of the self-report were the bright red words “Top Secret.”
It was a doctor’s self-report. He described the hallucinations and auditory hallucinations he had experienced in the past month, repeatedly emphasizing that the walls of the operating room were covered in blood and that many people were going in and out. He was too scared to sleep and would reflexively vomit when he picked up a surgical knife.
Qin Ge put down the report and, on his usually calm face, finally revealed a look of distress.
“What does this have to do with the ‘sea’?” he whispered. “Isn’t this a mental illness?”
Author’s Note:
Underground people: One of the special beings, referring to humans infected by the 5K2P-type petrification virus, resulting in various petrification symptoms in their bodies. There are two ways for petrification to occur: congenital inheritance and acquired infection. After petrification, the body becomes stiff, fragile, and susceptible to external factors such as bacteria, wind, and rain. Human cities have designated underground areas for underground people to reside, and there are specific departments and medical facilities to handle underground people’s affairs, mostly located underground.
Semi-zombified humans: One of the special beings, referring to humans infected by the zombie virus, resulting in various zombification symptoms in their bodies. The semi-zombified symptoms can only be delayed through medication and cannot be cured. Once the virus enters the brain, semi-zombified humans become fully-fledged zombies. Therefore, semi-zombified humans need to regularly check the virus concentration in their blood, and if it exceeds the standard, they must be controlled. In the battle for marriage rights and family rights, semi-zombified humans and underground people are natural allies, but there is also serious discrimination between the two races. This is primarily manifested in the fact that neither side recognizes the other’s aesthetics and appearance. “Stone monsters” is a derogatory term used by semi-zombified humans to refer to underground people, while “rotting corpses” is a derogatory term used by underground people to refer to semi-zombified humans.
(Partial information source: “A New Perspective on the Coexistence of Internal and External Discrimination in Partner Selection,” Journal of Popular Psychology, May 1996, by Chen Ke)
For every Ko-fi received for a perticular novel, I will release a new chapter!
I’m excited for the next chapters