Chapter 13

Shi Qing didn’t move around anymore after Yin Mingzheng finished speaking to Zhao Miaomiao. He was complacently laying in his arms.

Yin Mingzheng felt a tingling sensation. He looked down to see the youth guiltily rubbing the spot he had just pinched.

He was rubbing it while pretending to sleep with his eyes closed.

The corner of his lips unconsciously twitched into a smile. He pretended to not notice and carried him like this all the way home.

Shi Qing’s personality was very easy for Yin Mingzheng to understand.

He was honest and straightforward, while sometimes acting out his little schemes. He never attempted to hide his actions though.

As expected, the ‘sleeping’ youth immediately perked up after being placed on the soft bed. He rolled around and caused a mess like he was a newborn dragon showing off his scales. He whined and pleaded for Yin Mingzheng who was about to go take a shower to stay with him.

Yin Mingzheng was patrolling the three layers of handrails in the outer zone today. The base had 18 layers of handrails, one on top of the other. It provided security against low-level Insects, who would become trapped even if they got in initially.

The soldiers stationed there 24 hours a day discovered that there were too many Insects trapped there, which is why they requested for someone to dispose of them.

Yin Mingzheng had the strange feeling that his mental fortitude and abilities had become much stronger recently. He was going to conduct an experiment using those low-level Insects.

Killing them was a tiresome task. Even though he was eliminating them at a steady pace, he still worked up a sweat.

If he was living alone like before, he could deal with it for one night and shower the next morning. But now he had a little leopard in his bed that valued cleanliness in himself and in others. He could no longer skim on his efforts.

He could only coax the little leopard that wanted to crawl onto him again into letting him go for now.

While the man was washing up, Shi Qing played around like a little dummy, rolling around on the bed and yelling out.

“Hurry up Mingzheng! I’m tired!”

“I’m hungry! Are you still not done!”

This was Shi Qing’s unique way of sticking to people. He was perfectly capable of going to sleep as soon as he closed his eyes and getting something to eat from the nightstand, but he insisted on Yin Mingzheng accompanying him to do all those things.

Yin Mingzheng could only go faster after hearing him whine. Suddenly, he realised that the voice that had been acting spoiled since they got back was now silent.

The man shut off the water. He was planning to take a look outside after putting on a towel.

–Schwap!

The curtain in front of him was pulled open.

A youth with beautiful silver eyes poked his head in.

“Mingzheng, let’s shower together!”

Yin Mingzheng only paused for half a second before yanking the nearby towel off the wall to cover himself in record time.

The youth seemed to be stunned by how quickly he reacted. He tilted his head with a confused expression: “What’s wrong?”

The man ducked his head to conceal his ears that had become inflamed. He was almost stammering: “I’m done. You, you can go next.”

He escaped out of the washroom just like that with only a towel on.

Shi Qing stood where he was and looked at his retreating figure with a lost expression.

[I’m willing to bet that he’s using his ability. He’s running way too fast.]

The System didn’t understand: [You’ve already kissed and hugged, so why is he still like this?]

Although it could only see mosaics, it could put two and two together afterwards.

[Can’t you see? Kissing and hugging is just a way to placate me. As long as nothing serious happens, he’ll always be looking for a way to reject me.]

System: [……]

It was shocked beyond words.

Its astonished voice was shrill: [He still wants to push you off after you guys have gone so far? I’ve been enduring all those mosaics involving you two everyday! I’ve recited my mantras so many times I could read them in my sleep!!]

[You aren’t a human to begin with so you can remember even if you just saw it one time.]

The System didn’t know how to respond.

It very quickly began to stutter again: [……But, if he rejects the Host, then what about the animosity value ah? The animosity value between individuals is hard to estimate, 50% and up is basically how strangers on the street feel towards each other. If you guys break up and don’t make any mosaics anymore, who knows when his animosity will spike up in the next few years? Even if it’s just for a moment, we’ll still be rejected from the world.]

Shi Qing unhurriedly prepared to take a shower. [It’s not enough for you to lower it to the level of a stranger, you insist on getting it even lower to a zone of absolute security. Why don’t you guys save yourselves the trouble and just call it a goodwill value?]

The System faced the mosaic across its entire screen, it mumbled: [The higher-ups made the rules, so I can’t just change it willy-nilly…….]

[Host, you’re already like this with Yin Mingzheng. Isn’t he worried that you’ll be sad if he rejects you?]

[I’m as sad as your mom.]

Shi Qing finished lathering himself up. He brought his hands together to blow out a huge bubble: [Look, the relationship between Yin Mingzheng and I is just like this bubble. It might look radiant and beautiful, but in reality……]

He pierced it lightly with a narrow and white finger.

The bubble disappeared without a trace.

[If I didn’t stick to him like glue, do you really think he could treat me like he does now? Don’t be fooled by his outwardly good and personable demeanour. His tendency to feel animosity towards others is two to three times the average person.]

The System blinded by all the mosaics: [……Then what can we do.]

[We’ll just go with the flow. What else is there to do? I thought you were aware of what was going on from the moment he tricked me into installing a heart back on the ship.]

The System was dumbfounded: [What?]

[Don’t you feel like his attitude then was the same as it is now? The only difference is that he was completely lying before and he’s a tiny bit sincere now.]

[Right, let me remind you. Even if he’s sincere now, it’s only due to the guilt and responsibility he feels towards me. It’s the same logic as if you had accidentally stepped on a kitten on the street so you take it home to nurse it back to health.]

After finishing, Shi Qing made a concluding remark with an astounded tone: [I thought you understood because you were so quiet these past two days, but you were more innocent than I expected. What should I do with someone as adorable as you?]

System: [……]

So it watched the Host and the Target be lovey-dovey for so long, endured the mosaics and worried about the Host falling in love and forgetting his tasks&#k2026;&#k2026;

But the two of them were both acting??

Shi Qing washed the suds off his body. [Huh. Did I forget to bring a towel in?]

The System was having a breakdown: [He was actually deceiving the Host, actually deceiving the host……]

Shi Qing: [Come one, don’t be like this. Being lied to is no skin off my teeth. I don’t care as long as I get to take advantage of him in return.]

System: [Deceiving the host……]

[Okay okay. Go back to reading your mantras.]

After comforting the System that was stuck in a loop, Shi Qing opened the curtain and called out in a sweet voice: “Mingzheng, I didn’t bring a towel.”

Yin Mingzheng was just drying his hair. He hesitated after hearing the youth’s words before getting up to find his towel. When he walked over to the washroom to hand it over, he saw Shi Qing had completely pulled back the curtain and was standing there laughing at him.

Yin Mingzheng: “……”

He immediately looked away as he gave the towel over.

Then the hero of humanity turned around with a straight face and marched out.

But he had no interest in continuing to dry his hair when he sat down on the bed.

In the beginning, Yin Mingzheng only intended to calm Shi Qing down so that he didn’t impulsively bring him back to the ship.

He was able to escape this time due to Shi Qing’s trust in him. If he was brought back again, he would definitely never be able to return to the base.

Killing Shi Qing was still the best course of action.

But Yin Mingzheng couldn’t do it.

Shi Qing’s attitude of an innocent child and his pure-hearted reliance on him stayed his hand.

However, Shi Qing’s unwillingness to leave him was also a bad thing. He was also unable to push him away with cold words like he did with Zhao Miaomiao. If he did that, with Shi Qing’s personality, he would burst into tears before summoning his subordinates to kidnap him back to the ship. He would then probably press on him with several tonnes worth of weight to force him to go through the sequence everyday.

Whether he wanted to or not was irrelevant. Yin Mingzheng had tried to reject him before, and the youth might appear to comply on the surface, but he always found a way to entertain himself in the end.

Even if Yin Mingzheng ignored him, he could play for an entire day.

He was stuck between two dead ends.

In addition, he might be able to fool Shi Qing with the 18 years old excuse for now, but Shi Qing would find out one day now that he was living in the human base.

Even today, because they were living together, Shi Qing could come barging in while he was taking a shower. When Shi Qing was taking a shower, he could also……

The memory of that white skin flashed through his mind. The man’s already red ears flushed an even deeper shade. He anxiously rubbed them a bit.

It was only a matter of time before Shi Qing learned the truth.

He might not be too angry, but it was more likely that he would press Yin Mingzheng down to go through a more serious sequence.

But Shi Qing was just a child in his eyes……

Although normal people wouldn’t go through the sequence with a child.

Or stick around a child all day.

They most definitely wouldn’t think about how to get rid of the child after doing almost all the things they shouldn’t with them.

Yin Mingzheng had a moment of self-realisation while sitting on the soft bed.

He was a scum of a man.

No!

This isn’t right!

He can’t live like this anymore. What Shi Qing is looking for is a companion that can genuinely like him back. Yin Mingzheng can admit that he couldn’t do that.

The only option was to find someone more suitable in the base to take his place.

****

The next morning, while Shi Qing was still bundled up snugly, Yin Mingzheng had already gotten up.

“Shi Qing……Shi Qing, it’s time to wake up.”

He warmly and gently woke up the youth. His resolve weakened for a moment when Shi Qing glanced at him sleepily while rubbing his eyes, but he quickly recovered.

“Do you still remember the ability user that helped you yesterday? His name is Cheng Jun.”

Shi Qing shook his head, his voice muddled: “I don’t.”

But in his head:

[I do I do! That pretty boy wearing the hat! The one with big eyes, a perky nose, and a sunny smile that was so shy! It’s just that he’s a bit too young.]

Yin Mingzheng ruffled the youth’s hair and consoled him softly: “I need to go out on an expedition for at least five days. Cheng Jun is my most gifted subordinate, and he’s about the same age as you too. Why don’t you play with him for a while? He’ll protect you.”

He noticed the strange way Cheng Jun was looking at Shi Qing yesterday, but he thought nothing of it then. Cheng Jun has been an orphan on the base since he was ten, so it wasn’t unusual for him to be interested in someone as charming and quirky as Shi Qing.

Thinking about it, he was around the same age, had a good appearance, a powerful ability and truly liked Shi Qing. He was the best candidate.

The still half-asleep Shi Qing nodded obediently.

Although he wanted him to agree, his heart still sank at how quickly the youth nodded.

As he thought, this was still a child. He didn’t care who was with him.

After washing up, Yin Mingzhen swiftly whisked Shi Qing away to Cheng Jun.

Cheng Jun could barely contain his excitement at the news. His face was red as he tried to sneak glances at the youth snoozing while holding onto the man’s arm.

“Don’t worry Boss!! I’ll definitely take good care of the young master!! Definitely!!”

Yin Mingzheng was worried that he would hesitate due to misunderstanding his position. He nodded: “En. I consider Shi Qing to be a little brother. Make sure to look after him.”

Little brother!!

Cheng Jun’s eyes lit up. He nodded frantically: “Don’t worry don’t worry!! I will definitely look after Shi Qing!”

“Come here, Shi Qing.”

Yin Mingzheng lightly pushed the youth towards Cheng Jun: “Play nice with Cheng Jun for a while. Buy whatever you want; I’ve already wired the money to your account.”

“Wu……”

Shi Qing wasn’t quite awake yet. He nodded.

Not seeing even a trace of hesitance from the other person, the man’s heart was somewhat sour.

He really was a little good-for-nothing.

But this could be a blessing in disguise. If Shi Qing didn’t think about him, he would be free to develop feelings for Cheng Jun.

Yin Mingzheng pulled Cheng Jun over to give him a detailed list of instructions: “I’ve already prepared Shi Qing’s meals, just remember to deliver them at the right time. At night……at night he can sleep at your place, but not on the same bed. Also, he liked to play and stroll outside, so keep an eye on him. Don’t let him get into trouble with those second generations, especially Le Youyuan.

Le Youyuan was the leader of the second generations of the base. He was the one that played the hardest. He was the self-proclaimed arch-nemesis of Yin Mingzheng, and the person who organized the party celebrating his ‘sacrifice’.

Cheng Jun nodded after each sentence, “Boss, I will guard Shi Qing with my life! He’s completely safe with me!”

He’s only just met him and he’s already close enough to refer to him by name.

Yin Mingzheng was somewhat uncomfortable. He was beginning to suspect that he chose the wrong person.

This Cheng Jun’s mouth was too slick.

He began to doubt his subordinate in his mind, completely ignoring the fact that he was praising him just a few moments ago.

No matter how uncertain he was, Yin Mingzheng still left the base with his squad.

He needed to let Shi Qing adjust to life without him.

The next day, Yin Mingzheng was reflecting on his choice. Cheng Jun was too young, and Shi Qing was too pure. If the two of them did something outrageous…….

The third day, Yin Mingzheng’s temper began to flare due to lack of sleep. The squad members were afraid of talking to him and provoking their boss into spewing fire like a dragon.

The fourth day, Yin Mingzheng eradicated all the surrounding Insects with a black face and immediately ordered everyone to head back to the base.

The driver was pushed by the boss to drive faster and faster on the way back. His forehead was dripping with sweat. He drove the vehicle like it was a racecar and barely made it back before he collapsed.

Damn, boss’ temper was getting more frigid everyday.

The hero of humanity was the first to disembark. Carrying a video game console he brought back, he strode with his long legs into the base at a breakneck pace.

He had to see if Shi Qing had been well.

If something really did happen between him and Cheng Jun these past few days……

Yin Mingzheng suddenly froze. He stood where he was for a good two three minutes. The squad members behind him were all frightened into standing behind him as well. No one dared to make a sound.

At that moment, a lavish sports car that could only be driven inside the base drifted in front of Yin Mingzheng and honked arrogantly.

Beep–

This obnoxiously red car was all too familiar to Yin Mingzheng. It belonged to the most ostentatious and well-connected second generation in the base, Le Youyuan.

As expected, the familiar voice of that playboy came from within the car: “Hey, General Yin’s back. Long time no see.”

Yin Mingzheng didn’t have time to mess around with him. He glared at him before preparing to leave.

But he froze once he saw his passenger.

His little prince was seated comfortably in the front of the obnoxiously red car. He even waved happily at Yin Mingzheng once he saw him.

–Crack.

The video game console in Yin Mingzheng’s hand.

It broke.

Le Youyuan! Shi Qing was just a 10,000-year-old baby! How could you lie to a child!!