Chapter 14: Six Suns (14)
The three artificial suns now blazed high overhead, their scorching heat threatening to cook everyone alive. Jiang Jiu and the others struggled to run, hot sweat streaming down their faces like rain.
“Something’s not right,” Jian Yuntai said, looking down. A flash of alertness crossed his eyes. “Look at this sand.”
The grains underfoot shifted unnaturally, rippling as though alive, with wisps of white mist rising. This only happened after the serum had been dug up. Worse, the soil beneath felt noticeably loose.
Without hesitation, Jian Yuntai said, “Move away from the trees!”
He turned and ran.
Fatty and Young Master Xue froze for a moment, then followed him.
Seeing them run, Jiang Jiu panicked and pushed himself to sprint faster.
Everyone was infected. Breathing was ragged, with gasping for air, and their speed had slowed by several times.
Barely had Jian Yuntai’s feet left the tree roots when Jiang Jiu and his group ran in. They hadn’t even taken a few steps before suddenly freezing in place, their feet sinking deep into the ground.
“What’s happening?!”
Shouts of alarm rang out. Not only Jiang Jiu’s side, but under the neighboring trees, the same thing occurred.
The once-solid soil turned into pits of quicksand. Many players, red-eyed with greed for the serum, found themselves trapped before they could react.
The moment their clothes touched the quicksand, holes corroded through the fabric. Skin contacting the sand felt as if sulfuric acid had been poured on it—red, blistered, and bursting at the slightest touch.
Screams erupted everywhere.
The scene was like hell itself: a chaotic frenzy of people struggling to escape the sand.
Fatty’s heart skipped a beat. Amid the chaos, he felt a strange sense of relief at surviving.
“Before the sun launched, only the bases of the drooping willows were safe. Now the safe spots have shifted,” Jian Yuntai said, standing in the center of the tree-lined road as cautiously as if on a narrow bridge. “It seems the anomalies in these willow rows are due to the serum. Be careful around the trees where the serum has already been dug up.”
“But now all of it’s already dug up. The people with the serum are trapped in quicksand!” Young Master Xue panicked. “What do we do? One vial isn’t enough for the three of us!”
The livestream viewers grew anxious as well:
“I saw a vial get buried by quicksand!”
“I’m so worried they’ll fight over the serum. This kind of drama is basically a livestream team specialty.”
“Damn, you say that and now I’m worried too… I like all three of them, please don’t let them fight!”
Amid the panic, a viewer with the nickname Old Aunt posted something oddly out of place: “I told a friend I wanted to watch a ruthless streamer, and she insisted I come here. Didn’t expect the streamer to be so young and rank so low—out of 500 in the livestream team, he’s 450th. Did my friend trick me?”
“!!No, no, what your friend said is true! He’s ruthless, you’ll be satisfied.”
“Jian Dadan is just a two-day newbie, low rank is normal. Keep watching and you’ll see~”
Old Aunt squinted at the screen, unsure whether they were joking or serious. With lingering doubt, she continued watching.
She thought while watching.
In this instance, she would have grabbed a rope to try to hook up the serum. Every second mattered.
Wait—why was the streamer frozen in place? Could he be too young and scared stiff?
Old Aunt sighed in frustration, just as Jian Yuntai, hands on his knees, faintly curved his lips into a smile.
“You know what I want to do now?”
He was speaking to Fatty and Young Master Xue.
Fatty grinned mischievously, coughing slightly. “Not only do I know, but we’re thinking the same thing.”
“No way!” Young Master Xue covered his face, trying not to laugh. “You two again? Are you addicted to free loot?”
This exchange seemed like a private code. Old Aunt had no idea what they were saying. But looking down at the chat, viewers were all laughing hysterically.
“?” Old Aunt was even more confused.
Before she could ask, the screen suddenly shook.
Her mouth fell open in surprise.
Jian Yuntai was running up!
He leapt suddenly, landing precisely on a nearby player’s back. Before the player could scream, he jumped forward again. Without pausing, he vaulted in a single bound onto Jiang Jiu’s back.
“!!!” Jiang Jiu struggled furiously. Nearby players who had been ready to trap Jian Yuntai could only watch helplessly as he snatched the two vials of serum.
The truck had been taken, the iron club had been taken—fine.
Now even the serum was gone!
Jiang Jiu’s chest burned with fury, unable to speak a single word.
“Cough… cough…” Jian Yuntai’s shoulder throbbed painfully. His mind swirled in a haze, yet with sheer stubborn determination, he turned and jumped back.
Every jump tore at the wound on his right shoulder, and fresh blood overlaid the dried streaks.
When he reached the middle of the tree-lined road, he stumbled and pitched forward. Fatty and Young Master Xue caught him just in time, their arms instantly covered in bright blood.
Old Aunt finally noticed Jian Yuntai’s wound. A hole like that—if it were on her, forget running and jumping, she probably couldn’t even move without screaming. Y
et Jian Yuntai, with sheer willpower, got the serum. Such terrifying determination in an eighteen-year-old was almost unheard of.
Watching Jiang Jiu thrashing angrily in the quicksand, Old Aunt couldn’t help but admire him: Jian Yuntai was ruthless, even more so than ruthless people. He would achieve great things in the future.
She thought the viewers would feel the same, but glancing at the chat, she was puzzled.
“Wife!! Take care of yourself! Every time I see you hurt, I feel so worried, but you don’t care, uwu.”
“I almost thought the three of them would fight, reliving livestream team chaos, but our wife doesn’t follow the script haha!”
“These two vials are basically for Fatty and Young Master Xue, but our wife didn’t mention it. Luckily they appreciate him and care for him.”
…Wife?
Old Aunt’s expression turned strange. Why were all the viewers calling the streamer “wife”? Were all the viewers young girls?
Her curiosity was piqued. She continued watching.
Fatty helped Jian Yuntai sit on the ground and hurriedly fumbled to open the serum.
The more anxious he got, the clumsier he became.
From a distance, players were running over, probably to snatch the serum. Young Master Xue’s hands trembled uncontrollably, and after a long struggle, he still couldn’t open the plastic cover of the syringe.
Fatty was only slightly better. After removing the cover, he still didn’t know how to draw the serum.
“There’s no time!” Young Master Xue panicked, glancing behind him. His voice trembled with fear.
Jian Yuntai lifted a vial of serum. The effort of just raising his hand exhausted him.
“Use the small crystal to teleport first, to the research institute.”
“Ok… ok,” Young Master Xue stammered, searching in his bag for the crystal for over ten seconds. Fatty cursed, “Why didn’t you take it out earlier? Why wait until now?”
Young Master Xue looked pitiful, like a crying cat.
Such a tiny thing—he couldn’t hold it in his hand the whole time. One slip and it’d be lost.
Tap tap—
Tap tap—
Footsteps approached.
A dozen or so players ran over, staggering and appearing miserable. Yet their eyes blazed with an astonishing focus, locked on the serum.
“Quick! Quick!” Fatty coughed, urging them.
Young Master Xue finally produced the small crystal. “North, six hundred meters,” he said quickly.
A white light flickered.
Just as the audience thought the situation was finally under control, Young Master Xue suddenly panicked. “No! After being infected, I can’t locate properly—we seem to have different landing points!”
Jian Yuntai’s expression also tensed.
Before he could speak, the white light from the crystal enveloped him. His surroundings changed, and when he regained focus, he was in zero gravity, suddenly plummeting from midair.
“?!”
With a ‘bang,’ his elbow and thigh slammed into the armrests of a wheelchair. His waist sank downward, and he landed on something soft.
“…”
“…”
A man in the wheelchair stared at him, dumbfounded.
Jian Yuntai’s mind was hazy. His right hand still gripped the serum. Even so, he cursed inwardly—damn Young Master Xue, teleporting him straight into someone’s arms!
The fall felt like every organ had shifted violently. Pain tore through him, but he forced his head up. All he could see was a double image.
He was completely powerless. Straining to see the man’s face, he only made out a pair of cold, clear eyes.
The man’s thin lips moved, a distant, indifferent voice reaching him: “You’re badly injured.”
A chill ran through Jian Yuntai.
Back when he survived in the slums, “You’re injured” had meant the same as “You’re helpless.”
He almost reflexively tried to hide the serum behind him, but sitting atop the man, there was nowhere to conceal it.
Might as well go all out!
Jian Yuntai’s gaze turned fierce, fingers clawing at the man’s neck. “Even badly injured, I can still kill you.”
As he made the motion, the wound on his right chest tore open again, bright red blood dripping onto the man’s white shirt.
Drip, drip… drip, drip.
The scarlet drops fell onto the pristine white fabric, each splatter like a tiny rose. Only these “roses” were strangely shaped, each ending in a teardrop of blood.
In truth, Jian Yuntai had almost no strength in his hands, yet the man still cooperated, tilting his head back and lowering his gaze as he said, “Maybe you’ll die before you even manage to kill me.”
“If you dare entertain any improper thoughts, then before I die…” Jian Yuntai’s bangs cast a dark shadow over his face. After a pause to steady his breath, he slowly leaned closer, a faint, dangerous smile not reaching his eyes. “I will absolutely take you down with me.”
His fingernail pressed against the man’s Adam’s apple. He could clearly feel it shift under his touch. The sensation of scraping along the throat stirred a sudden, cruel delight.
The next second, Jian Yuntai’s vision went black, and he plunged sharply into the hollow of the man’s neck.
“…”
The distance was impossibly close.
The man stiffened for a long moment, apparently struggling with some intense internal conflict, before finally letting out a resigned sigh.
Creak, creak—
The wheelchair rolled down the corridor. Sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting framed shadows across the floor. Dust motes floated like tiny sprites, dancing joyfully around the two of them.
Three hours later.
Old Aunt had stared at an empty shot for three hours straight, yet she didn’t feel bored at all. The livestream was packed with talent, and the chat was absolutely entertaining!
Honestly, Jian Yuntai was so good-looking! Especially with a bloodied, battle-worn beauty, his eyes slightly red from weakness… it practically trampled all over her aesthetic experience.
Seeing the screen full of viewers calling “Wife! Wife!” made her want to join in the barrage herself.
Yet every time she wanted to type “wife,” she forced herself to stop: no, no, no, he’s only eighteen. She could already be his mother. That would be totally inappropriate.
So she held back, waiting until the camera returned to Jian Yuntai before she dared type a single “wife.”
Meanwhile.
When Jian Yuntai woke, he clearly felt someone moving his collar, tugging at his clothes.
Frowning, he opened his eyes and met the same cold, startled gaze of the man from before.
“…You’re awake?”
The man’s hand rested on Jian Yuntai’s collar, preparing to treat his wounds. Feeling a bit awkward, he tried to withdraw, but Jian Yuntai quickly grabbed his hand and yanked him down onto the bed.
The two of them were suddenly mere centimeters apart, their breaths nearly intermingling.
“…!” The man’s pupils contracted sharply.
Jian Yuntai’s gaze turned sharp. “Where’s the serum?”
“Your wounds!” The man’s movements stiffened. Both hands braced on either side of Jian Yuntai’s waist. Worried about touching the injury, he froze and frowned. “If you move recklessly again, your arm will be ruined.”
“I’m asking you—where’s the serum?” Jian Yuntai said slowly, each word deliberate, his expression growing guarded.
Their locked gazes filled the room with tense intensity.
At that moment, a loud, casual voice came from outside: “Academician Song, I’ve brought what you asked for.” Li Wei pushed the door open, stepping inside eagerly. Seeing the two on the bed, he froze mid-step.
Hesitating, he retreated half a step, puzzled, and weakly mumbled, “Sorry, sorry for the interruption.”
“…!”
Academician Song? Song Yulu?!
Jian Yuntai immediately realized.
When their eyes met again, Song Yulu’s gaze dropped, then darted away as if shocked. His lips pressed together, ears slightly reddening.
After a long pause, expressionless but blushing, he pulled the small blanket up over Jian Yuntai. “The serum was administered three hours ago. Don’t worry—you’re fine now.”
The livestream chat erupted with excitement:
“Wife’s disheveled look… swoon~”
“Ahhhhh Song Yulu, are you trying to poison us?! Why cover him up? I didn’t see clearly, sob sob sob…”
“Damn, that NPC is so handsome! Can we get him in future instances? I wanna get close to him!!”
“Ahhhhhhh!” Old Aunt pounded her desk, completely abandoning any shame. “Screw it! I’m eighteen today!”
She slammed the exclamation key, yelling, “Sisters, I saw it—it’s pink, ahhhhh!”
“?!” The audience was shocked by the level of detail. Once they realized what she meant, they twisted and screamed, flooding the chat with the same phrase repeatedly.
Jian Yuntai didn’t notice any of this. Hearing that the serum had already been administered, he finally relaxed his grip.
Song Yulu stepped back a little.
About half a minute later, he placed a cup of water on the bedside table with a soft thud and said sparingly, “Drink.”
Jian Yuntai stared at the cup for a long moment without moving.
“No poison,” Song Yulu frowned.
“…”
It was obvious that Jian Yuntai’s actions had plummeted his NPC reputation. Rightly so—he had behaved like a prickly little hedgehog from start to finish. Song Yulu had every reason not to like him.
Jian Yuntai raised an eyebrow, lifting the cup. Using the act of drinking as cover, he secretly observed the NPC before him.
Song Yulu was nothing like he had imagined.
Previously, Jian Yuntai had thought him rash, impulsive, and justice-driven, with a somewhat youthful voice. But now, the man was clearly mature, strikingly handsome—someone who could instantly catch your eye. His movements and demeanor carried a restrained, distant elegance, clearly showing impeccable upbringing.
While Jian Yuntai drank, Song Yulu stood with his back turned the entire time, displaying an indifferent attitude.
Suddenly, an electronic chime rang in Jian Yuntai’s ear: 【Congratulations! You have received the “neinei pink” title.】
Note: from future observation of the neinei pink title i could say it means pink underwear or pink nipples (the context earlier when the title came to be was because viewers saw sth under his clothes but top or bottom id rather say top so it should be nipples but somehow in future context it turned into underwear, therefore pls take it as u see fit!)
“Pfft—” Jian Yuntai spat out his water. “Cough, cough, cough!!”
Song Yulu immediately turned, maneuvering the wheelchair over. “How do you even manage to choke while drinking?”
“Cough, cough…” Jian Yuntai’s eyes reddened from coughing, still in shock. Had he just heard what he thought he heard?
No, no—it must have been a mishearing. A homophone, perhaps?
The electronic chime rang again mercilessly: 【The platform has automatically equipped this title. Your livestream suffix has been changed to “neinei pink.” Congratulations! Congratulations!】
“…!” Jian Yuntai’s expression was as if struck by five bolts of heavenly lightning.
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