On the next day, Lu Yan returned the computer to Zhou Qiming. After exchanging a few pleasantries, they parted ways outside the ward. Just then, they bumped into Chen Shier, who was visiting the injured.
Lu Yan nodded politely and left. As Chen Shier closed the door, he saw Zhou Qiming sitting on the bed, holding the computer in his arms and rubbing his head against the keyboard.
Chen Shier was taken aback, "Boss, what are you doing?!" It seemed bizarre.
Zhou Qiming looked blissful, "You wouldn't understand. This keyboard was touched by Dr. Lu himself."
Chen Shier pulled up a chair, hesitated for a moment, then spoke, "Boss, I heard some gossip recently in our group chat... it seems Dr. Lu might have found someone special."
Given the widespread use of the fragrances developed by the Third Research Institute, it was almost common knowledge in their industry that tyrants in a frenzy could be pacified with certain scents.
As if they weren't involved romantically, who would believe that? If it were someone else as a rival, Chen Shier would have surely encouraged Zhou Qiming to pursue. After all, Zhou Qiming, in his forties, was still single, and finally finding someone he liked was a rare thing.
The harbinger often engaged in risky ventures, never knowing when their time might be up. So, it was only natural to seize the moment.
But Lu Yan's rumored love interest was Tang Xunan. More importantly, Lu Yan didn't seem to harbor any special feelings for Zhou Qiming.
Zhou Qiming replied, "I know, but my feelings for him and his lack of reciprocation don't conflict. It's like drinking iced milk tea in summer and hot milk tea in winter; it's inherently delightful. Good things are worth liking, and my affection for him satisfies my own emotional needs."
He paused, sounding somewhat disheartened, "Sometimes, I do feel a bit aggrieved, though. After all, I was here first."
---
The wards for these severely injured harbinger patients were arranged closely together. Across from Zhou Qiming's room was Yan Bei.
In Lu Yan's pocket was the sketch of the rabbit butcher. As he approached Yan Bei's room, just as he was about to knock, he overheard a conversation inside.
"Mr. Yan Bei, I've come to bid you farewell..." Li Ping's voice was gentle as ever, but now it carried a hint of firmness.
"This time, at the abattoir, I awakened as a harbinger. I wish to join the Special Operations Division to combat pollutants. I won't be able to work as your liaison anymore. I've enjoyed our time together."
Yan Bei smiled faintly, replying, "Congratulations."
Lu Yan had intended to give the sketch to Li Ping, but at this moment, he hesitated.
"She's already accepted the death of her child and is about to start a new life. Would it be too cruel to tell her now?"
["Keeping it a secret, isn't that another form of cruelty for a mother who's mourned her child for over a decade?"]
Lu Yan felt the system had a point. He pressed the doorbell, and Yan Bei's voice came from inside, "Come in."
Li Ping looked at the newcomer and immediately stood up, "Since it's Mr. Lu, I'll leave first. Take your time chatting."
Lu Yan stopped her, "Please wait a moment."
He took out the sketch of the rabbit butcher and handed it to Li Ping, "Someone asked me to pass this on to you."
Li Ping was taken aback, as if she felt something deep within. Her hands trembled as she received the paper, unfolding it slowly. The rabbit butcher's artistry wasn't remarkable; it depicted two people with simple lines, with crooked handwriting underneath: Tongtong and Mommy.
Li Ping grabbed Lu Yan's arm suddenly, her eyes reddening, "Mr. Lu, where did you see this person?! Please, tell me. This drawing is very important to me. I—"
She couldn't finish her words, choking up and unable to complete a sentence.
Lu Yan replied softly, "It was at the abattoir. A butcher asked me to pass it to you. It said it's doing well now."
Li Ping could barely stand straight from crying, "Then why... why hasn't he come to see me?"
Li Ping wasn't foolish; from Lu Yan's information, she had already deduced some things. The butchers at the abattoir were pollutants, and her child couldn't be an exception.
After Tongtong was taken away by pollutants, she hadn't hoped he'd still be alive in this world. But she never imagined her child would exist in such a form.
Even with this outcome, Li Ping couldn't stop loving him. If he had lost his sanity as a pollutant, she might have given up. But from Lu Yan's description, Tongtong still remembered.
He was so young; amidst a group of butchers, would he be scared?
Lu Yan looked at her moist eyes and replied, "It said the child has grown up and needs to leave his mother."
Li Ping let go of his hand, holding the sketch to her chest, and sat down on the floor.
Lu Yan thought for a moment, then handed her a pack of tissues. Yan Bei had already removed the IV from his hand and hugged Li Ping, repeating one phrase over and over, "It's okay, it's okay."
After a long while, Li Ping finally regained her composure.
Though still physically weak, she stood up with determination, bowing deeply, "Thank you, Mr. Lu."
Lu Yan, despite doing these deeds, undoubtedly took on some risks.
Li Ping left, but Lu Yan's expression was somewhat somber.
Suddenly, Yan Bei asked, "In the future, if Li Ping meets Tongtong, will she shoot?"
Lu Yan thought for a moment before replying, "That depends on Tongtong's condition."
If the rabbit butcher retained his sanity, Li Ping probably wouldn't.
"...But I shot Zong Yan," Yan Bei's mood seemed to darken, and even the buds on the flowers that hadn't yet bloomed withered.
Lu Yan wasn't one to console people, so he pondered for a while before slowly replying, "You simply did what you believed was right. You're not wrong."
Yan Bei stared at him for a long time before suddenly saying, "I wish I could be as rational as a doctor."
Because Yan Bei was in a bad mood, Lu Yan spent more time here than usual.
He had left home at 9 in the morning. It wasn't until 12 that he arrived at Tang Xunan's room.
Apparently, even among patients, there were differences in treatment. Yan Bei and Zhou Qiming had much looser restrictions. Tang Xunan's room was larger but more heavily monitored.
When he arrived, Researcher A was injecting medication into Tang Xunan's arm.
This was mainly to reduce the degree of mutation. Tang Xunan's dragon tail still couldn't retract, greatly affecting his mobility.
Instead of speaking immediately, Lu Yan asked the system, "You mentioned last time that Tang Xunan could undergo pollutant source removal surgery. Where would they cut?"
[Ribs.]
[The pollutants
were originally transplanted into the spine. After years of fusion, other parts of his body have also undergone mutations. After removal, new ribs will grow within 3 to 5 months.]
Researcher A finished the injection and breathed a sigh of relief, beginning to tidy up the nearby medical supplies.
He had wanted to ask Tang Xunan about his experiences on this mission, but since Lu Yan had arrived, it wouldn't be appropriate to disturb the couple.
Just as Researcher A finished packing up and was about to leave, Lu Yan's calm voice came to him, "Remember to turn off the surveillance."
Researcher A: "Sure."
Lu Yan continued, "System."
The system, bearing its burden silently, replied, [I'm leaving.]
Sitting beside Tang Xunan, Lu Yan said, "Today, I received news from headquarters confirming Subject 01's death. They also found Life Pod 9 in the abattoir."
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Subject 9 would soon be unfrozen. Once Chang Jia saw daylight, the mission for the Divine Realm would be considered complete.
Though this mission wasn't contracted, the outcome was better than they had imagined.
Not even one advanced harbinger had been lost.
On the Tianqi Forum, discussions about the X City abattoir were rampant. Many participants in the mission received a flood of confessions, resembling fervent fans on a celebrity forum.
Late into the night, Lu Yan logged on and found that the "tyrant" and "Tang Xunan" were the most commonly mentioned. Unable to resist, he set "tyrant" and "Tang Xunan" as blocked terms.
Had he not done so, he might have discovered that after just one day, the forum was ablaze with discussions about his and Tang Xunan's wedding.
Lu Yan unbuttoned his coat and lay down beside Tang Xunan.
Almost without prompting, Tang Xunan's tail shifted over, draping itself across Lu Yan's waist.
Raising an eyebrow, Lu Yan remarked, "Are you always this obedient?"
Tang Xunan lowered his head to look at Lu Yan, his expression indulgent, "If you like it, then yes."
Indeed, Lu Yan rather liked it, but unfortunately, Tang Xunan was currently very lucid and adamantly opposed to letting him touch the base of his tail. It left Lu Yan feeling somewhat regretful, akin to not getting the centermost slice of a watermelon.
Taking advantage of the current atmosphere, Lu Yan abruptly inquired, "Have you ever thought about what you'll do if you can't change back?"
Tang Xunan's expression faltered.
Lu Yan didn't look at him.
Tang Xunan vaguely understood that Lu Yan's real question wasn't about that.
After a brief silence, Tang Xunan replied, "I have. I've wondered if I can't go back, will Yan cry... Will you?"
Lu Yan's gaze fell on Tang Xunan's hand gripping the knife.
The wounds on his arm crisscrossed, some deep, some shallow.
He answered softly, "Yes."
Lu Yan didn't cry, but Tang Xunan felt oddly conflicted because of his response. It was like drinking lemonade with a slightly sour sweetness.
Tang Xunan gingerly kissed Lu Yan's eyes, "I'm sorry."
If given another chance, Tang Xunan would still make the same choice. He didn't have any other options.
Lu Yan sighed and reluctantly accepted his apology.
A young person's body couldn't withstand too much agitation, yet these kisses, filled with infatuation or solace, always stopped short.
Two of Lu Yan's buttons were undone, only to be fastened by Tang Xunan once again.
The two slept on the same bed, under the same blanket. Tang Xunan, heavily sedated, drifted off into a drowsy state.
After enduring for a while, Lu Yan couldn't resist asking, "Are you... capable?"
His suspicion wasn't unfounded. According to research, the higher a Harbinger's spiritual power threshold, the more subdued their desires tended to be.
With Tang Xunan currently at thirteen thousand, some impediments were quite normal.
Tang Xunan: "..."
Lu Yan soon found out whether Tang Xunan was capable or not.
He disliked unexpected occurrences, like the fact that Lu Yan had never considered the possibility that his body might develop a mermaid-like reproductive organ due to the mutation.
It couldn't be used for procreation, but clearly, accommodating another member wasn't an issue.
Lu Yan's consciousness flickered for a moment, only then realizing that he had begun to cry.
Tang Xunan's hand pressed against his, wiping away his tears with gentle kisses.
"Don't cry," he said.
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