CH 59

Chapter 59: I’m fascinated by your world

Numerous little holes could be seen along the walls of the passageway. If a dangerous organism were to escape—for example, Mo Ye—they would release highly concentrated neurotoxins.

An infrared ray scanned the route every second. At a single command, it could become a slicer machine.

He followed Song Zhi into the deepest part of the base.

There was no one else walking there, but it was closely guarded, like a separate, beating heart in the base.

When the last door opened, everything became bright.

Zhou Yu was surprised by the size of the department.

Countless researchers in white lab coats were bustling about.

“Are they studying Mo Ye?” Zhou Yu asked.

“Yes. Mo Ye’s genes are complex, and we want to figure out how exactly S rank organisms are able to mimic others, as well as other abilities that we don’t know about. What we know is only a drop of water in the ocean. We are still far, far away from the answer we seek,” Song Zhi replied.

He continued in.

Zhou Yu found that the department did not have any patrols of armed personnel or guards.

“Don’t you worry about Mo Ye escaping?”

“Of course. But such concerns are worthless. He’s been shackled, since anyone approaching him can be used by him as a weapon. For example, many people became nourishment for the growth of that other night spirit.”

Song Zhi stopped in front of a door. “I will only take you this far. Past this point is where his abilities can reach. Although he can’t do much to me, I don’t like being teased by him.”

Zhou Yu didn’t know what Song Zhi meant by “teasing,” but he knew that the so-called “shackle” was Zhou Yu’s spinal fluid.

He went in, step by step. His body was stable, but his heart was racing.

It was like a secret was about to come to light.

In front of him was a room. The room had no door, but a transparent wall.

There was a bright light in the room. A young man was lying on a bed with one leg crossed over the other, reading a book.

As Zhou Yu stepped forward, he subconsciously tilted his head. He wanted to see the young man clearly from different angles.

His skin was very white and he was tall in stature, around Zhou Yu’s height. He was wearing a white T-shirt and loose, casual pants. His two legs were perfectly straight and slender, and the wrist holding onto the book had an elegant sense of beauty to it.

“I miss you so much.”

This sentence suddenly rang out in Zhou Yu’s mind.

It seemed to come from a very deep place, amid centuries of clamour.

Zhou Yu took a breath. He knew it couldn’t be the young man talking because the room was soundproof.

It was in his mind, not in his ears.

“I miss you very much, every day.”

The young man slowly put the book that was blocking his face aside and leisurely sat up.

Zhou Yu was suddenly looking into his amber eyes.

Bright and limpid… Those were Mo Ye’s eyes.

The young man sauntered up to Zhou Yu and stopped in front of the glass.

If human beings really were created by God, then this young man could be considered the ideal model.

He had a beautiful figure, such that even the minute details were inexplicably moving.

He raised his hand and covered it on the glass wall. Zhou Yu seemed to be enthralled, and he also lifted his hand to cover it.

“I miss your temperature, Zhou Yu.”

Blood from his whole body rushed into his fingers, as if he was being nibbled at gently by him. His fingertips were sucked on, the blood about to leave his body.

Zhou Yu raised his chin and tried to resist through willpower.

Now he finally understood what Song Zhi had meant by “teasing.”

Was this the ability of an S rank organism?

“It seems like Song Zhi instilled many false ideas into you.”

The young man laughed. Countless stars seemed to have fallen into his eyes. The curl of his lip had a charming allure. Zhou Yu’s breathing slowed. He approached Zhou Yu and studied every tiny change in his expression, as if Zhou Yu were the specimen trapped in there for humans to study.

As soon as Zhou Yu’s body regained its freedom, he took a step back.

“What is your purpose in approaching me?” Zhou Yu asked.

“Purpose?”

The question seemed absurd. He merely shrugged and laughed.

His forefinger gently swept across the glass, but Zhou Yu felt as if it was his cheek had been touched.

Was this guy not only manipulating his actions, but also his feelings?

“Look at your vigilant expression, as if I’m about to eat you. Did you completely forget? It was Juli Corp that took me away from Night Spirit Island, it was Wu Yun who insisted on carrying back the black box I was developing in, and it was you who stood in front of that box and became the first person I saw when I came into to this world. None of these encounters were planned by me; the single choice I made was to mimic an appearance you like.”

“To mimic the appearance I like?” It was a first for Zhou Yu to listen to such an illogical statement. It sounded as if this had all been caused by Zhou Yu.

“Don’t you like it? A seemingly unremarkable creature. Soft, small, and reliant on you, but also strong and persistent at critical moments. Loyal to their most important people, just like you. I merely wanted to become what you like. Why do you look like I’ve deceived you?”

“To become what I like? But is the real you still the organism I like? And if it’s not, then haven’t I been deceived?” Zhou Yu asked.

“Since I gained my own consciousness, the first message I read was from you. I learned about your brain and mind, and I looked at the world from your point of view. Then, I chose you, and grew up the way you wanted. You humans may have made many rules for yourself in order to survive in Nibelungen, but I’m not the same. You are my only law.” The young man with black hair turned to look at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu finally understood what he meant. Since he’d begun to think, Zhou Yu has been his core… Everything Zhou Yu had hoped and wished for became his direction.

But how could that be possible?

He was an S rank organism!

Standing at the top of Nibelungen’s food chain, humans should be insignificant beings before him!

“Zhou Yu, have you realized it yet? You haven’t called my name once since you came in here.”

Do names matter to you?

Before those words left Zhou Yu’s mouth, his thoughts were easily read by him.

“Of course. It’s proof that I exist in your heart. Denying my name would mean you denying my everything.”

“If you are Mo Ye in your heart, then you are Mo Ye, and forever will be Mo Ye. No one can deny you that, including me.”

“Is that so?”

At that moment, the young man’s body seemed to penetrate through the glass, like an invisible force rushing to Zhou Yu.

As if he was about to be knocked over, Zhou Yu’s eyes widened and he raised his chin while subconsciously retreating. But his back was being pressed against by a force, compelling him to face what was coming.

Something seemed to kiss him, but there was nothing before him.

The young man merely stood on the opposite side of the glass. He gazed at him for a long time.

“Zhou Yu… don’t worry about growing old. You’ll definitely be very cute when you’re old. And if you age ten years, then I’ll age ten years as well, and the world will age ten years. God will age ten years. Everything will.”

“Why are you saying this to me?” Zhou Yu spoke coldly.

He wanted to drive the voice out of his mind. Presently, he was reading out Zhu Shenghao’s love letter that Zhou Yu had once read to him. It reminded him of the past when he had once hugged Mo Ye in that warm little bedroom. It would only make him waver.

“From the last time I parted with you to meeting you again now, I feel like it was all a dream.”

The other man’s gaze was affectionate, even under the cold white light.

Zhou Yu felt as if he was being blindfolded by the other party, forcing him to guess at things that he had never before assumed. However, Zhou Yu found that he could not at all help but gaze at Mo Ye, whom he was most reluctant to part with, in his recollections. 

“I wake up feeling very much in love with you.”

In an instant, Zhou Yu felt his strongest wall crumble under the other person, despite his face only showing indifference.

When you are not by my side, I miss you so.

Something seemed to sound by Zhou Yu’s ears, just like the wind scattering dust through the deep, dark stone corridor.

Zhou Yu took a breath, then turned to leave.

With every step, his world was changing rapidly.

He wasn’t sure if what he had cherished and wanted to protect the whole time was real.

After Zhou Yu left, Song Zhi strolled to the front of the glass wall.

“How does it feel to see him in human form?”

“As you had wished, it sucks.” Mo Ye looked at Song Zhi with his head askew. It was a lazy and indifferent expression, but it could inexplicably give rise to an unbearable emotion.

Song Zhi chuckled. “If you really want to move him, then do it in your own style. Not in the way that would soften his heart the most.”

“And you? You’re already weary, what are you still pressing on for?”

“Don’t worry, I won’t have to press on for much longer.” Song Zhi smiled indifferently.

“You know…” Mo Ye lowered his head with his face turned to the side. He slowly walked up to the glass, observing Song Zhi. “When you stop caring about everything and no longer wear a disguise, you’re actually good-looking when you smile. Was that brother of mine who came into this world before me captivated by your smile?”

“If you find a chance, you can ask him for me,” Song Zhi replied.

“What are you planning?”

Song Zhi turned to face the side indifferently. His gaze passed through the layers of metal walls, cast out into the distance.

“I’m not planning anything… It’s just that all efforts of resistance and the pursuit of freedom come at a price. If you don’t want the people you care about to go through hell for it, then you had best be prepared to destroy yourself.”

“The human world is so complicated.” Mo Ye walked back to his bed and lay down on an arm.

“Good night, child.” Song Zhi turned around.

That night, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun, who were reunited at the base, drank beer in the dining hall.

“How is your daughter?”

“Her condition is stable. I just can’t imagine that one day, when I’m gone, if Juli Corp will still do their best to take care of her like this.”

“Even if Juli Corp isn’t trustworthy, I’m still here,” Zhou Yu replied.

Wu Yun almost sprayed the imported beer back out. “I say, are you really so sure that you’ll live longer than me?”

“Yeah, I’m sure.”

Wu Yun shook his head, then immediately thought of something. “Hey… did Song Zhi tell you where Mo Ye went? I asked around for ages, but there aren’t any night spirits at this base… After the previous base was destroyed, did Mo Ye leave?”

If that was the case, then it would have been a perfect ending.

“Do you know there’s an S rank organism in this base?” Zhou Yu lowered his voice and asked.

Wu Yun looked at Zhou Yu with wide eyes. “Wasn’t Song Zhi always trying to catch an S rank organism…? Did he do it?”

Zhou Yu didn’t answer.

Wu Yun held his head. “Oh my God… Jesus… I’m so unlucky…”

“What’s wrong?” Zhou Yu asked.

“Haven’t you found the pattern yet? When the researchers here think they can control something, it turns out that they can’t control anything, and in the end, they even become the prey! The night spirit from before is the best example! This is even better; instead of a night spirit, it turns out that an S rank organism is being contained in here! I’ll bet you it’s a ticking time bomb! It’s going to explode one day!” Wu Yun opened up his fingers and made an exploding gesture.

“You also think… S rank organisms are dangerous?” Zhou Yu’s voice wasn’t loud. He looked down, making it difficult to tell whether he was asking Wu Yun or himself.

“No shit, if it’s not dangerous, then why give it an ‘S’ rank? Or did you think it stood for ‘Superman’?!”

“Then, if an S rank organism, from the moment it came into this world, appeared to depend on you, need you, and it tried its best to understand as well as protect you, then what do you think its goal is?” Zhou Yu looked at Wu Yun.

Wu Yun was stunned. “Wha… What the hell is that? I know you said before that there was an S rank organism interested in you—and I reminded you that you should be careful—but you can’t trust your intuition. But what do you mean it depended on and needed you… are you talking about an S rank organism? Why does it sound like an emotionally fragile kid?”

“It’s nothing.”

For Zhou Yu, everything had clear categories. For example: relatives, friends, enemies, and less important people. But Mo Ye was different; he made Zhou Yu hesitate for the first time.

“…That S rank organism Song Zhi captured, is it Mo Ye?” Wu Yun suddenly said.

Zhou Yu paused. Wu Yun wasn’t stupid. Song Zhi was still alive, yet Mo Ye was nowhere to be found. There was a new S rank organism in the base. It wasn’t surprising for Wu Yun to have such suspicions.

Song Zhi had not asked Zhou Yu to hide Mo Ye’s identity from the others. After all, most of the people here had never seen Mo Ye before. But Wu Yun was different; if he knew Mo Ye’s true identity, it could be a kind of protection for him.

“Yes,” Zhou Yu admitted.

Wu Yun’s eyes widened. It was unknown whether his brain was blanking out or thinking.

“Did you see him?” After a few seconds of silence, Wu Yun asked again.

“Yes.”

“How did he look? Was he in his original form or…”

“An imitation of the human form.”

“Is he beautiful?” Wu Yun scratched his head, not seeming to appear as conflicted as Zhou Yu. “Wait, I just remembered that Mo Ye is male. It has nothing to do with beauty, then.” 

[T/N: He/She/It all have the same sound in Chinese.]

“His beauty has nothing to do with gender. His night spirit form was also mimicry. I just don’t understand; as an S rank organism, he could be invincible in Nibelungen, so why did he stay by my side? If he wanted something from me—like controlling my thoughts, my actions, or even taking my life—then why spend so much time with me?”

This was a question that had baffled him ever since he found out about Mo Ye’s identity.

“So you meant Mo Ye when you were talking about depending on and needing you!” Wu Yun showed an expression of realization. “A person will only act like this when they need another person. But the premise is that he’s human… Or at least that he’s human, in his heart.”

“Thank you.”

Wu Yun got up and pressed down hard on Zhou Yu’s shoulder. “But there’s one more thing I need to remind you of—never let yourself fall.”

“I know.”

“In two days, we’re going to take those rookies out on a mission. Rest well.”

“Of course.”

The dormitories in the base were still just like sleeping capsules.

What was different from before was that Mo Ye could no longer curl up and snuggle against his side.

Zhou Yu turned off the light. Pillowing on his arm, he was close to falling asleep.

He was someone with strong adaptability to the environment.

Just as his thoughts were about to sink into slumber, he suddenly sensed something and opened his eyes in an instant.

A figure was sitting by his bed!

And that outline, Zhou Yu could tell instantly, was the exact same as the Mo Ye he had seen on the other side of the glass wall.

Zhou Yu almost sprang up, but the other person was ahead of him. He held down Zhou Yu’s shoulder and pressed him back.

The hair over Mo Ye’s forehead fell down, their tips just touching Zhou Yu’s forehead.

And those two eyes, even in a room without light, appeared deep enough to contain a whole other world.

“What do you want to do?” Zhou Yu lowered his voice and said.

Mo Ye slowly put his head against Zhou Yu’s chest. “I’m used to you holding me. I can’t sleep without you.”

Zhou Yu could imagine that if Mo Ye had been in his night spirit form, then he would probably be rubbing his nose lightly against his chin.

Unfortunately, it was just an imitation.

“Is that so… Then, for the months I was away, did you not sleep at all?”

“Yes, I never slept. Do you not believe me?”

“I don’t believe you.”

“Then go and ask your most trusted Song Zhi.”

Mo Ye’s fingers slowly moved up along Zhou Yu’s wrist as if stroking him, but with great strength, he pressed Zhou Yu’s wrists down on either side of the pillow.

Zhou Yu had never experienced being completely suppressed before.

Mo Ye’s fingers were caught between the gaps of Zhou Yu’s, all ten digits clasped. Zhou Yu couldn’t immerse himself in such an intimate gesture.

“You can always doubt me, Zhou Yu, and continue to doubt if your own feelings are just part of my illusion. But there’s one thing you never knew; you invited me to read your mind, and you fascinated me with your world.”

Mo Ye stretched out his back, inclining into Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu struggled to resist, but just then, Mo Ye’s figure disappeared, taking off the pressure on top of him too.

Everything had been like an illusion.

But how could it have been an illusion?!

Zhou Yu sat up. His back was completely soaked through.

He took his handheld transceiver and connected it to Song Zhi.

“Where is Mo Ye?”

“Where you saw him earlier today, of course. Don’t tell me you want me to let him out to have him sleep next to you, just like before.”

“Are you sure he’s still there?”

“I’m sure.” Song Zhi’s answer was fairly certain.

Zhou Yu terminated the call and covered his face with his hands.

He was used to self-restraint and being in control of everything, even his own fear… but he knew that from the moment he saw Mo Ye through the glass, something was bound to lose control.

Two days later, Zhou Yu and Wu Yun were to each led a small team out of the base on an assignment.

Their task was special, and it also had a lot to do with Mo Ye.

Mo Ye had been unexpectedly brought back from Night Spirit Island during a sampling expedition by a researcher from Juli Corp, and that researcher was Dr. Turing, a leading scholar in embryology. According to confidential files left behind by Dr. Turing, he had entered a cave where the remains of the night spirits were buried and seen the skeleton of a giant creature.

For the past thousands of years, perhaps that giant creature had been protecting the unhatched Mo Ye. It was Mo Ye’s guardian.

The so-called night spirits would send food into the cave for the giant creature. But since the night spirits died out, their guardian, without food, also died. Dr. Turing managed to bring the embryo back to the research base, but even then, it didn’t hatch for many years.

Not long after Zhou Yu and his team arrived in Nibelungen, Dr. Turing lost contact with them during an investigation trip. The whole team protecting him failed to return.

Song Zhi had always wanted to find out what happened to Dr. Turing, but the locator on Dr. Turing was damaged and stopped transmitting signals, which made it impossible for Song Zhi to send people to look for him. However, following Zhou Yu and the rest’s return to Nibelungen, Dr. Turing’s locator suddenly began to send out signals again.

Was it a coincidence, or was it Dr. Turing’s call for help?

Dr. Turing had studied Mo Ye when he was an embryo. He had first-hand information on the origin of S rank organisms. Song Zhi had to find him.

Before Zhou Yu left the base, Song Zhi asked him to visit Mo Ye again.

“I don’t want to become distracted before I set out on an important assignment.” Zhou Yu rejected Song Zhi through the radio transceiver.

“He has something to say to you, and it’s related to your assignment. The things in his head, he won’t share with any other person… or organism, except for you.”