“I’m not a kid anymore,” Li Rui said.
“Is that so?” Jiang Cheng chuckled. “Then I suppose you can handle some grown-up talk.”
Qiu Shi flinched, unsure what Jiang Cheng meant. He was just about to stop him, but Jiang Cheng had already continued speaking.
“You’re trying to contact the nearby bioroids?” Jiang Cheng looked at Xing Bi as he asked.
Shit. Qiu Shi leaned back into his chair.
“Not necessarily. But we want to understand the situation first,” Xing Bi said.
“I heard you’ve been dormant for a long time,” Jiang Cheng said.
“Yes,” Xing Bi replied.
Jiang Cheng looked at him in silence for a while before letting out a sigh. “Still holding on to that oath?”
“For me, it was just a choice,” Xing Bi replied. “It has nothing to do with the oath.”
“Mhm.” Jiang Cheng acknowledged.
It was clear that Jiang Cheng had thoughts about that old oath, but from the way he interacted with Li Rui, Qiu Shi could tell—Jiang Cheng didn’t hate humans.
“The symbionts on the other side… do you know about them?” Qiu Shi asked.
“Four of them,” Jiang Cheng answered bluntly. “They’re not that strong individually, but there are a lot of humans around here. If they need to, they’ll create many infected. Once they’ve stripped this place clean, new symbionts will come.”
Qiu Shi frowned but said nothing.
“As for the next step…” Jiang Cheng looked at him. “They’ll probably head for the place you came from.”
“Have you seen other camps like theirs?” Qiu Shi asked.
“You’re heading east, right?” Jiang Cheng said. “You’ll see them.”
Qiu Shi glanced at Xing Bi. From the sound of it, the further east they went, the harder it would get.
“A lot of areas over there are blackened,” Li Rui added. “Even if the fungi are dead, it’ll take a long time for vegetation to recover.”
Li Rui’s wording was surprisingly technical. Qiu Shi couldn’t help but ask, “Who told you that?”
Li Rui pointed his chin toward Jiang Cheng. “Him.”
Jiang Cheng gave a small smile.
“If we want to contact the nearby bioroids,” Xing Bi asked Jiang Cheng, “can you reach them?”
“I can,” Jiang Cheng replied.
“Do you… understand them?” Qiu Shi asked cautiously.
“What kind of understanding do you mean?” Jiang Cheng replied. “They’re just ordinary bioroids trying to live in this world. They don’t hate humans. They don’t want anyone controlling their thoughts.”
“You know who Xing Bi is, right?” Qiu Shi continued.
“Who doesn’t?” Jiang Cheng said. “One of those legendary figures.”
“Really?” Li Rui asked excitedly.
“Really,” Jiang Cheng said. “You should get a picture and an autograph.”
Li Rui laughed. “No rush. If I get the chance, I’m going to travel with them.”
Jiang Cheng paused, then turned his eyes toward Xing Bi.
“I need to talk to Jiang Cheng alone,” Xing Bi said.
“Come on, Third Master,” Qiu Shi stood up and patted Li Rui on the shoulder. “Take me to that garden. I haven’t seen it yet.”
“Seriously?” Li Rui led him out. “This place doesn’t just have a garden—there’s a fish pond too…”
“Got any fish?” Qiu Shi asked.
“Nope. People were eating the dead—how would fish survive?” Li Rui replied.
After their voices faded beyond the door, Jiang Cheng leaned back in his chair and asked, “Did all of you come?”
“No,” Xing Bi said. “Just Ji Sui and me. Lin Sheng and the others are in Yun City. Zheng Ting…”
“I know,” Jiang Cheng sighed. “He never came with us. And now there’s no news. Ever since he left with the Leader, nothing.”
“Tell me about the Leader,” Xing Bi said.
“Are you taking Li Rui with you?” Jiang Cheng asked.
“I haven’t agreed yet,” Xing Bi said. “What do you think?”
“Take him,” Jiang Cheng replied. “This place will eventually fall into the symbionts’ hands. I can’t protect him.”
“If Li Xia’s group wants to leave, I’ll have Xu Jie take them,” Xing Bi said.
“To Yun City?” Jiang Cheng’s eyes held doubt.
“It’s safe there,” Xing Bi said.
“Then why did you leave?” Jiang Cheng looked at him.
“To make it safer,” Xing Bi answered.
“Are you going to kill the Leader?” Jiang Cheng asked.
“Yes,” Xing Bi said.
Jiang Cheng said nothing. He seemed to be thinking—perhaps his mind had wandered far from the conversation. After a moment, he finally spoke again: “That Qiu Shi, he’s enhanced. Why? Are humans no longer satisfied with using bioroids—they want to become them?”
“He would’ve died otherwise,” Xing Bi said.
“That afraid of death?” Jiang Cheng asked.
“He needed to rescue me,” Xing Bi replied.
Jiang Cheng raised an eyebrow. “Really…? Well, I guess I’m not surprised. Just when you’re ready to give up on humans, they show you something worth hoping for. Like Li Rui. His sister. And those kids.”
“Mhm.” Xing Bi smiled.
“Give it an hour,” Jiang Cheng said. “One hour later, wait at Xiaodongtian. Li Rui knows where. I’ll take you to meet them.”
“Alright,” Xing Bi said.
“They’ll help you. Don’t worry,” Jiang Cheng said. “No matter how little they understood your choices back then, no matter how much they hated your betrayal…” His gaze dropped to his empty sleeve. “Now, they’ll work with you—as long as you’re strong enough.”
“When Xu Jie takes Li Xia’s group, will you go too?” Xing Bi asked. “Yun City can repair your system. And your arm.”
“I’m fine here. I’ve gotten used to it,” Jiang Cheng said.
Xing Bi looked at him. “If your system completely fails later…”
“When someone’s lived long enough,” Jiang Cheng said, “they don’t fear death like humans do.”
The so-called garden was now just a blackened patch of dirt. According to Li Rui’s descriptions, flowers used to grow here, and there was supposed to be grass—none of that was visible anymore. In its place were weeds, wild vines, and ultimately, black fungus.
Even the fungus had withered now. For a long time, this colorless landscape wouldn’t change. It felt like time itself had frozen—stuck in the moment of destruction.
“Don’t touch that.” Qiu Shi grabbed Li Rui’s hand, stopping him from reaching toward the withered fungus.
“Don’t worry,” Li Rui stubbornly stretched out his leg and kicked again. Black shards scattered all over the ground with a shua shua sound. “I know which types of fungus I need to avoid. Plus, Sister Fan gave me a long-acting suppressant injection back in the car. It’s more effective than the pills we have.”
“Where’d you get the pills?” Qiu Shi asked.
“My bro gave them to me,” Li Rui said. “There’re plenty of ways to get this stuff. Before those monsters showed up, there were roaming traders heading to Benquan City. You know what I mean, right? Roaming traders. Traders who travel around—not swimmers…”
“Right, not swimming traders, just roaming ones,” Qiu Shi said.
“Are you doing this on purpose?” Li Rui gave him a look.
“Got it, traders on the move,” Qiu Shi chuckled.
“They had that stuff, huh?”
“Yeah, but not a lot. High trade value too—not something the average person can afford,” Li Rui said. “You gotta steal it.”
“Is it easy to steal?” Qiu Shi couldn’t help asking.
“Not really. A lot of roaming traders are guarded by bioroids,” Li Rui said. “Some are Class 1, but most are Class 2. Of course, they’re nothing like Big Brother Xing Bi, who’s a hidden guard.”
Naturally. It was hard to imagine a Class 1 hidden guard working security for some merchant.
“My bro used to travel with one of those traders,” Li Rui said. “I used to think all bioroids were super strong, but after meeting him, I realized that if a regular bioroid gets separated from its group, even a gang of nomad bandits can take it down.”
“Yeah, their enhancements are different. How did his arm get injured?” Qiu Shi asked, thinking back to that bioroid they’d seen decapitated on their first trip to Donglin.
“Nomads did it. That’s also when he got hurt so bad he can’t be exposed to sunlight,” Li Rui said. “But that was before I got here. He’s been around a long time… Can you guys fix him?”
“We can, but it depends on whether he’s willing to come with us,” Qiu Shi said. “Sanctuary means rules. Not everyone can accept that.”
“True,” Li Rui thought for a moment. “Even at our shop, we have rules. If you want to survive together, you’ve got to follow some kind of order. My sister still hits me.”
Qiu Shi laughed. “Even Third Master gets spanked?”
“I don’t hold it against her,” Li Rui waved it off.
When Xing Bi came out of the building, Qiu Shi and Li Rui were standing next to the “fish pond.”
There hadn’t been any water in the pond for ages. Wild grass had filled it in layer after layer. All that was left was the circular outline of the pool.
“How’d it go?” Qiu Shi asked Xing Bi when he saw him.
“We’re heading to Xiaodongtian in an hour,” Xing Bi said. “Jiang Cheng is arranging the meeting.”
“I’ll take you guys,” Li Rui said immediately. “You know where Xiaodongtian is?”
“He said you’d lead us,” Xing Bi replied. “This is your turf.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s my turf,” Li Rui immediately shifted into guide mode and patted off his clothes. “I just hang around here, so I know the place decently.”
Xiaodongtian was a restaurant. Its sign had been carved into a stone stele at the entrance. Even two hundred years later, though the stele had cracked and was pitted with age, you could still make out the words: Xiaodongtian Restaurant.
Jiang Cheng walked out of Xiaodongtian and gave them a slight nod before turning and heading back in.
Though he was covered tightly from head to toe, it was clear he was still avoiding any direct exposure to sunlight. Probably not just his skin—his eyes likely couldn’t handle strong light anymore either.
This place definitely deserved to be called Benquan City—there was water everywhere.
Behind Xiaodongtian was a small stream. A staircase that looked like part of an old dock led down to a narrow waterway. A small boat was moored at the bank.
“Follow the current downstream,” Jiang Cheng said, lifting a box from the boat. It bore the emblem of the old base. “You’ll see a bridge tunnel. They’ll be waiting to receive you on the other side.”
“You’re not coming?” Qiu Shi asked.
“No,” Jiang Cheng said. “They might think I’ve changed my mind and want to join.”
Qiu Shi laughed and jumped onto the boat.
The moment his foot hit the deck, the boat tipped sharply.
“Shit!” He was startled and quickly shifted his weight the other way, only for the boat to lurch again in that direction. “You son of a—!”
With his swaying, the boat began rocking wildly like it might capsize.
“Sheesh,” Jiang Cheng stepped on the side of the boat. “Maybe you should just swim.”
Qiu Shi couldn’t help laughing. “I can’t swim.”
“Yun Cheng Mining must’ve been founded in the middle of a desert.” Jiang Cheng sighed.
Xing Bi stepped onto the boat, and finally, the rocking stopped.
“Just sit down,” he said.
Qiu Shi sat cross-legged on the boat deck.
Li Rui got on with practiced ease—it was clear he’d lived here a long time. He walked to the back of the boat. “I’ll drive. I’ve always wanted to drive this boat.”
“Go for it,” Jiang Cheng said. “If your buddy falls in, you’re the one who has to fish him out.”
“Go ahead,” Xing Bi smiled. “I’ll handle the rescue.”
Li Rui started the small engine. Jiang Cheng untied the rope and tossed it aboard, then picked up the box and walked away.
The boat wasn’t big. With three people on board, it sat low in the water. Qiu Shi could touch the surface with his palm.
“Are there fish in here?” he asked curiously.
“There are, but not many,” Li Rui said. “My bro fishes a lot. There’s a forest upstream, and this water comes down from there. He fished there for ten days and caught one—thumb-sized. Got mad and let it go.”
Xing Bi chuckled.
“Just to prove there are fish in here,” Qiu Shi said.
“That’s exactly what he said,” Li Rui laughed. “At least it proves something’s alive in this river.”
Qiu Shi smiled and glanced down at the water.
As the boat moved forward, the water parted like a gauzy curtain. The reflections of the ruined buildings on either side shimmered on the surface, and the rippling made them seem less broken—almost beautiful.
The boat traveled a while before they saw the “bridge tunnel.”
More accurately, it wasn’t a bridge tunnel—it was a square-shaped entrance built with large stone slabs. The inside was pitch black.
“Someone’s inside,” Xing Bi said quietly.
Qiu Shi opened his map. There were two glowing dots inside the tunnel.
Li Rui shut off the engine, and the boat slowly drifted in with the current.
A few seconds later, Qiu Shi’s eyes adjusted to the darkness.
“Someone’s coming,” Li Rui called into the tunnel.
“Follow us,” someone ahead replied. Then came the sound of a motor and the glow of a small light.
By the light, Qiu Shi saw another small boat ahead. Two people were crouched with their backs to them. Judging from their builds, they were bioroids.
Just as a faint light appeared ahead—likely the tunnel’s other exit—the lead boat turned into a side channel.
Li Rui quickly turned the rudder, and their boat swayed, bumping into the stone wall. Qiu Shi nearly fell out and had to brace himself with one hand. The walls on both sides were smooth and slick—they’d once been walkable, but now were coated in thick, slimy mud.
“You okay?” Li Rui asked, slightly embarrassed.
“Yeah,” Qiu Shi rinsed his hand in the water, then casually wiped it on Xing Bi’s pants. He raised his voice toward the front boat, clearly irritated. “Hey up there, you guys move any faster and you’ll lose us for sure!”
The people on the boat ahead didn’t respond, but noticeably slowed down. At the next turn, one of them raised his left hand to signal they were turning left.
“Brother Shi,” Li Rui whispered, “BrothervShi.”
“Hmm?” Qiu Shi looked back.
“That was awesome!” Li Rui gave him a thumbs-up.
“Are you stupid?” Qiu Shi said.
After taking a few turns, the boat ahead slowed down and turned off its engine.
Li Rui followed suit and turned off the engine of their own boat.
The waterway ahead became very low, blocked by a stone staircase spanning across the water.
The people in front got off the boat.
After their boat stopped, Li Rui nimbly jumped from the boat onto the adjacent stone steps.
When Xing Bi stepped off the boat, he put his left hand behind his back. Qiu Shi understood his meaning, grabbed his hand, and pulled him down from the boat.
Without that pull, someone as clumsy on the water as Qiu Shi might have fallen straight into the river.
They walked up the stone steps ahead for a while, and when they turned a corner, Qiu Shi saw a fairly large open space with several smaller caves around it.
A lamp lit up in the middle, and suddenly everything around became clearly visible.
This was a hidden space inside the underground waterway — an excellent place to hide.
A few people emerged from a small stone door nearby.
“Xing Bi,” the person at the front stopped in front of him, staring at him for a long time, “didn’t expect to see you again.”
“I didn’t expect it either,” Xing Bi replied.
“Qi Jian,” this person glanced at Qiu Shi and Li Rui behind him.
“Qiu Shi,” Qiu Shi answered.
“…Li Rui.” Li Rui hesitated for a second before speaking, probably struggling between using a nickname and his real name. Then he asked, “Are you also a hidden guard?”
“No, I’m just an ordinary guard,” Qi Jian glanced at him, “we don’t have hidden guards.”
“Oh.” Li Rui nodded.
“I heard from Jiang Cheng about your purpose here,” Qi Jian turned and led them into a stone door beside them. Inside was a room like a conference room, with tables, chairs, and projectors. Two people were standing by the table, “We can talk.”
Qiu Shi was a bit surprised to find the two people inside the room were humans.
This seemed like some kind of symbiotic resistance organization formed by both bioroids and humans.
“You encountered the symbiotes over there, right?” Qi Jian asked.
“Not exactly encountered,” Xing Bi said, “just a brief skirmish.”
“Sit and talk.” One of the humans said.
After everyone sat down, the rest of the people left the room, leaving only Qi Jian and the two humans in the small conference room.
“These two are our friends,” Qi Jian introduced, “we cooperate with some humans, trying to help more people or bioroids survive safely.”
“My name is Feng Yu, and this is Zhou Ping’an,” Feng Yu said, “we had a chance to kill those symbiotes, but they blew up the bridge. It’s really not easy that you made it here.”
“We’re here because of the symbiotes too,” Xing Bi went straight to the point, “do you know anything about them? Especially their leader?”
“We originally were…” Qi Jian looked at Xing Bi but didn’t finish the sentence, “but Jiang Cheng thinks we can trust you. We really do need help now.”
Xing Bi looked at him silently.
Qi Jian tapped the projection device on the table, and a map was projected onto the table in front of them.
“This is all the camps we currently know of, a total of fourteen,” Qi Jian supported himself on the table, “including the one across the river, it’s fifteen.”
Qiu Shi stood and looked at the map. Besides the camps’ locations being marked, there were also lines drawn. It seemed these people had also noticed 249’s method of control.
“What are these lines?” he asked.
“There are cables running near all their camps,” Qi Jian said, “the camps aren’t necessarily right next to the cables, but they always connect to a branch of these lines. The leader needs to contact them via physical wires, not wireless.”
“How much do you know about the leader?” Xing Bi asked.
“We can only speculate. He’s not physical, or he has a physical form but is hidden somewhere in these lines,” Qi Jian said, “but we lean more toward the first theory.”
“We accidentally discovered he can control symbiotes at several camps simultaneously,” Feng Yu said, “and we have been looking for him for many years without ever finding any proof that he physically exists.”
“Hm.” Xing Bi looked at the map; this one was clearer and more accurate than what they had. It was obvious the camps were pushing westward from the east.
“Do you have any information to share?” Qi Jian asked.
“He really isn’t physical,” Xing Bi said, “he’s data from the first generation bioroid A01249.”
Qi Jian didn’t reply but exchanged a glance with Feng Yu.
Humans don’t hide their emotions as well as bioroids. From Feng Yu’s eyes, Xing Bi could tell they knew about 249.
“So you know,” Xing Bi said.
Qi Jian silently stared at the map.
“If we want to cooperate, we should be honest,” Xing Bi said, “we don’t want to fight symbiotes. We want to eradicate 249.”
Qi Jian sighed lightly, “We did suspect it might be 249 but weren’t sure. We have no way to confirm this theory.”
“You must have had plenty of contact with these symbiotes over the years,” Xing Bi said, “if you’re willing, I hope we can cooperate honestly. We have the ability to destroy him…”
“Don’t trust him!” a voice suddenly shouted outside.
When Qiu Shi turned around, someone rushed in and reached over to turn off the projection on the table: “I don’t trust him!”
“What the hell!” Li Rui shouted.
Xing Bi looked at the person who came in.
“You don’t know me,” the person said, looking at him, “but every bioroid who escaped from Yun City remembers you deeply, Xing Bi.”
Qiu Shi was stunned, never expecting to meet a bioroid who escaped from Yun City here.
“Get out first,” Qi Jian grabbed this person’s arm and pulled him out of the room, “I’ll come talk to you later.”
“He’ll use your trust,” the person pointed at Xing Bi, “he’ll make you believe he can lead you to hope, but then destroy everyone and crush hope. Do you remember the eyes of those bioroids you killed…”
“Shut the hell up!” Qiu Shi grabbed a chair and swung it, then rushed forward and hit the person’s face with an elbow.
The person was an ordinary bioroid and was immediately shoved backward into the wall.
“Qiu Shi!” Xing Bi grabbed Qiu Shi before he could land two more punches.
The person was soon restrained by Qi Jian and several bioroids and taken away.
“Damn!” Qiu Shi spat out through his teeth.
“Brother Shi,” Li Rui spoke from behind, “what did he mean?”
Qiu Shi turned back and saw shock all over Li Rui’s face.
