LABMY CH100.1

“You’re already an adult?”

Jian Yuanbai’s tone rose by 200 degrees as he uttered this sentence.

Shen Nian had long forgotten the excuse he made to avoid paying living expenses back then. Seeing Jian Yuanbai’s shock left him a bit bewildered as well. “Yeah.”

Looking at Jian Yuanbai, whose expression had turned grim, Shen Nian cautiously asked, “Is there a problem?”

A big problem! Jian Yuanbai’s face turned ashen, unable to speak for a while. After holding back for some time, he finally said, “When I asked you when you’d turn eighteen, you said next May?”

Shen Nian hesitated, unsure of what he was referring to. After sitting on the sofa and thinking for a long time, he finally recalled, “Are you talking about when we first arrived at the S City fortress?”

Jian Yuanbai: “Yes.”

Shen Nian lowered his voice, “Back then, you told me that once I turned eighteen, I’d have to pay the heating bill myself, so…”

Before he could finish, Jian Yuanbai already understood. His heart was filled with mixed emotions, but above all, he felt the pain of being crushed by the stone he lifted himself.

Shen Nian noticed his silence and leaned in, asking nervously, “What’s wrong?”

His eyes were bright blue, innocent and beautiful, making it impossible for Jian Yuanbai to blame him. Besides, this was all caused by himself.

Jian Yuanbai took a deep breath and said, “Nothing.”

He stood up, picked up the wheelchair, and tossed it into the trash can. The intact wheelchair shattered into tiny wooden fragments, filling the entire bin.

Shen Nian watched in silence and instinctively leaned back against the sofa. Was there really a need to be this angry just because he turned eighteen?

What exactly was he angry about?

Some things are all about timing. At this moment, Jian Yuanbai couldn’t directly express what he was truly upset about. It was too foolish to say out loud.

The door was knocked on. Jian Yuanbai went to open it and saw Qu Wenxuan and Yang Jinhang standing at the door. “Isn’t it time to head out?”

In the D City base, there were no officially sanctioned ability teams. Ability users could form their own squads and take on tasks from a mission center converted from an old office building. These tasks included clearing pollutants, rescuing survivors, and collecting supplies.

In the post-apocalyptic world, while ability users might survive alone, the base provided food, water, and even fruits, along with basic protection. This was essential for most ability users, as not everyone possessed both plant-based and water-based abilities. Therefore, all ability users entering the base would take on such missions.

Yesterday, they accepted a mission to clear pollutants that had been subtly gathering behind the D City base.

Due to the uncertain danger level and the increasing concentration of pollutants, this mission required cooperation with another squad.

From Qu Wenxuan and the others’ perspective, with Jian Yuanbai around, there was no need for collaboration. However, since the mission required it, Jian Yuanbai didn’t mind and accepted it without complaint.

Jian Yuanbai glanced at Shen Nian and asked, “Do you want to come with us?”

Shen Nian nodded. He hadn’t forgotten his plan—to get injured on purpose. Otherwise, there was no way to explain his awakened abilities with such a ridiculous excuse.

The group set off together and arrived at the D City base entrance, where they unexpectedly encountered a familiar face.

Shen Nian immediately buried his face against Jian Yuanbai’s neck, like an ostrich hiding from reality.

Yu Rubo clearly saw him but, out of consideration for Jian Yuanbai, held back from greeting him.

Though Yu Rubo remained silent, his teammates expressed dissatisfaction. Noticing Shen Nian’s heavy clothing and the fact that Jian Yuanbai was carrying him, they immediately assumed he was an ordinary person and complained, “This is a mission, not a game. How can you bring along a burden?”

“Dragging us down… If you want to die, don’t bring us along, okay?”

A woman stepped out of the vehicle, swept her gaze over the two disgruntled teammates, and silenced them instantly. Clearly, she held authority in the team.

“Hello, I’m Liu Xue’er, the leader of this ability squad. Just call me Xue’er.”

Jian Yuanbai shook the person in his arms. Shen Nian reluctantly extended a hand. “Hello, I’m Shen Nian.”

“This is…” Shen Nian hesitated, unsure how to introduce him.

Jian Yuanbai calmly said, “Just call me Mr. Bai.”

This behavior once again provoked dissatisfaction from Liu Xue’er’s teammates, but Jian Yuanbai simply said, “No need to worry. If we encounter danger, you don’t need to save us.”

The two teammates snorted but, upon receiving a cold glare from Liu Xue’er, dared not speak further.

After some reluctant self-introductions, the group set off.

The area with the pollutant gathering was at an abandoned factory behind the D City base. Though it was a half-day drive, the pollutants could easily reach the base within that distance. Therefore, they had to clear them out before the situation worsened.

Additionally, they needed to investigate the cause of the gathering.

Shen Nian shifted restlessly in Jian Yuanbai’s arms, beginning to regret coming along. “Why didn’t you tell me there’d be other people?”

Jian Yuanbai replied, “I didn’t expect this either.”

From the front seat, Yang Jinhang curiously asked, “What’s wrong? What coincidence?”

Shen Nian blushed and shook his head slightly. “Nothing.”

Unexpectedly, when they stopped for lunch, Yu Rubo took the initiative to speak to Shen Nian.

Looking at Shen Nian and Jian Yuanbai, Yu Rubo smiled and asked, “You two seem close. Are you brothers?”

Having been humiliated earlier, Yu Rubo assumed he wouldn’t get another vague answer in front of everyone. He couldn’t resist being drawn to Shen Nian’s delicate and beautiful appearance, which was rare in the apocalypse.

Shen Nian felt awkward and, with so many people around, couldn’t outright ignore him. He hesitated and replied, “No, he’s my—”

“Boyfriend.” Jian Yuanbai interrupted. “Not brothers. Boyfriends.”

Jian Yuanbai saw through Yu Rubo’s gaze. The possessiveness in his heart surged uncontrollably, and he instinctively declared ownership.

He looked up at Yu Rubo with a cold, warning glare.

Shen Nian turned to Jian Yuanbai in shock, eyes wide. Seeing Jian Yuanbai wink at him, he stammered and echoed, “W-We’re boyfriends.”

Jian Yuanbai flicked his forehead. “Silly.”

Jian Yuanbai was actually nervous after blurting that out, but seeing Shen Nian’s reaction, he felt relieved.

The scene fell into an awkward silence. Shen Nian, blushing furiously under everyone’s gaze, squirmed on Jian Yuanbai’s lap.

He whispered, “Let me down… It’s getting hot here.”

They were all sitting around a fire raised by a fire-type ability user to cook lunch. The group was gathered in a circle, and Shen Nian, embarrassed, just wanted to get off Jian Yuanbai’s lap.

In the midst of Yu Rubo’s darkened expression, not only did Jian Yuanbai refuse to let go, but he also tightened his arm around Shen Nian’s waist, pulling him even deeper into his embrace. “Aren’t you cold?”

“Be good.”

Qu Wenxuan and Yang Jinhang pretended to focus on the bubbling pot, staring so intently it was as if they were about to bore holes into it.

In this strange atmosphere, the group finished their meal and headed towards the abandoned factory.

The journey wasn’t long before they arrived.

The factory, constructed from gray concrete and steel structures, stood in decay. The rusty iron gate creaked eerily as the wind blew through it.

The intel from the base was correct—there was indeed a large concentration of pollutants here. However, they appeared to be low-level. When the group entered, the surroundings were eerily silent, as if no living creature was present.

But sometimes, the quieter it is, the more unsettling it becomes. In an environment without any sound processing, there should still be background noise. Yet, this deathly silence, where even the wind seemed to have ceased, was unnervingly strange.

As they stepped into the factory workshop, the door behind them suddenly slammed shut. A shadow lunged at them from both sides.

However, after surviving in the apocalypse for so long, the group remained unfazed.

Qu Wenxuan’s palm burst into flames, scorching the pollutant that shrieked in agony. At that moment, countless creatures with sharp fangs surged out from every corner of the workshop.

“What the hell are these things?”

These creatures stretched out their hands, desperately trying to grab Jian Yuanbai and the others. Liu Xue’er swiftly drew a Tang knife from nowhere and effortlessly beheaded one of the pollutants, as if slicing a watermelon.

“Why are there so many pollutants here?”

“And all of the same type.”

These things didn’t resemble ordinary pollutants. Instead, they looked more like zombies straight out of a pre-apocalypse horror movie.

“Zombies? Could this be a new mutation of pollutants?”

“What new species? Pollutants come in all kinds of strange forms. It’s impossible to categorize them.”

While fending off the creatures, the group engaged in a chaotic discussion.

Suddenly, Jian Yuanbai spoke up: “No, they’re not pollutants.”

As a pollutant himself, he could naturally sense that these beings lacked the aura of pollutants.

Shen Nian could sense it too. These creatures were not pollutants but corpses being manipulated like puppets.

The group was now completely surrounded in the workshop as waves of zombie-like creatures lunged toward them.

“Is this an ambush?”

“How could these things possess human-level intelligence?”

As they struggled to push forward, they gradually realized that something—or someone—was controlling these creatures from behind the scenes.

Jian Yuanbai suddenly looked up toward the top of the factory.

Carrying Shen Nian in his arms, he moved swiftly. Before anyone could see how he did it, he had already stepped on the heads of the creatures and reached the factory’s upper platform.

“Did he just run away?”

“Bringing along a burden and then ditching us? Seriously?”

While the others were still complaining, Jian Yuanbai’s gaze locked onto a pollutant covered in web-like threads, with its tongue sticking out and densely packed, breathing insect eggs crawling all over it.

Just as he was about to strike, a voice echoed, “You can’t kill me. We are the same.”

Clearly, this was a high-level pollutant with intelligence.

However, Jian Yuanbai showed no hesitation. With a swift water blade, he sliced off its head and coldly replied, “No, you and I are not the same.”

In this world, there was only one person who was truly like him — Shen Nian.

The countless corpses that had been manipulated from beneath the steel frames of the factory were all controlled by this pollutant.

Although Jian Yuanbai held no deep attachment to this world, he didn’t want pollutants to slaughter too many humans.

If the world turned into a barren wasteland with only him and Shen Nian left, that would be far from beautiful.

As the manipulated creatures surged forward, they suddenly froze, as if their life force had been drained. One by one, they collapsed, emitting a foul, rotten stench that filled the air.

While the others stared at each other in confusion, Jian Yuanbai kicked the pollutant’s corpse off the platform. Maggot-like worms spilled from the decaying bodies, swarming over the pollutant’s corpse and wrapping it into a cocoon made of wriggling insects.

Clearly, the pollutant had been controlling these corpses by implanting parasites into them.

Jian Yuanbai frowned and said to Qu Wenxuan, “Burn it.”

The fire erupted, accompanied by the crackling sound of insects being scorched.

The people who had mocked and complained earlier now stood in awkward silence, as if an invisible slap had landed on their faces.

They had expected a brutal battle that would take hours. Yet, the most time-consuming part turned out to be the journey itself.

On the way back, the group remained unusually quiet. When they parted ways, no one dared to meet Shen Nian’s gaze.

Back at First City Base, with only Jian Yuanbai and Shen Nian left, the room fell into an awkward silence.

The two of them stood at the door, neither making a move.

Jian Yuanbai cleared his throat and said, “Get some rest.”

Shen Nian nodded. “Mm.”

The atmosphere between them was strangely restrained, as if they had just met.

After a simple wash-up, Shen Nian lay on the bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep.

Jian Yuanbai’s words from earlier echoed in his mind.

What… exactly did he mean by that?

Frustrated, Shen Nian punched his mattress. How could he say something like that and then act as if nothing happened?!

Shen Nian stared at the door, hesitating whether to go find Jian Yuanbai.

But… he was the one who insisted on sleeping in separate rooms. If he went over now…

Caught in his internal struggle, Shen Nian almost stared a hole through the door.

Then, in the dead of night, the door slowly creaked open before his eyes.

Shen Nian’s gaze slowly lowered… and met a pair of gleaming golden cat eyes.

The fluffy, golden-furred creature wore an awkward expression.

In the long, awkward silence, the golden cat let out a soft, “Meow~”

It was pretending to be an innocent little cat. Yet, when it opened its mouth, it let out a low, guttural tiger’s roar.

The golden fluffball froze, its paws slowly retreating as it tried to back out naturally.

“…Xiao Bai?”

Shen Nian hesitated.

The golden cat’s paws halted mid-step.

Shen Nian reached out. “Do you… want to sleep together?”

The golden cat joyfully pounced onto the bed. Yet, the moment it landed, it transformed back into a tall and imposing man.

Jian Yuanbai leaned over him, his presence overwhelming.

“I already told you,” Jian Yuanbai’s fingers brushed lightly against Shen Nian’s hair, though he restrained himself from touching it, “I’m your boyfriend.”

Shen Nian’s fingers tightened around the bedsheet beneath the blanket. “What… does that even mean?”

Jian Yuanbai finally lost control and traced his fingers along the corner of Shen Nian’s eye. “You’ve been teasing me for so long… Do you really want to play dumb now?”

Shen Nian’s face flushed instantly. He avoided Jian Yuanbai’s gaze, looking left and right in panic. “I thought… I thought you never noticed.”

“I thought you just… wanted to be my… ‘Xiao Ba.'”

Jian Yuanbai’s tense heart finally relaxed. He pulled Shen Nian into his arms.

“I polluted you with my own hands. Though I’m not truly your Xiao Ba, I am, in a way… your Yafu.”

Shen Nian stiffened. Before he could comprehend what he meant, Jian Yuanbai leaned closer and kissed his earlobe.

His voice was deep and seductive.

“Wife, are you my wife now?”

“Be your Xiao Ba’s wife, okay?”

Such a short sentence carried an explosive ethical implication. Shen Nian was so embarrassed he could die, yet he still reached out to grasp the hem of Jian Yuanbai’s shirt and replied in a trembling voice, “Mm.”

Jian Yuanbai’s eyes lit up with an astonishing brilliance. Just before kissing him, he suddenly whispered, “Sorry… I couldn’t wait to give you your gift.”

He had originally planned to confess and formally establish their relationship when giving Shen Nian an eighteenth birthday gift.

But how could Jian Yuanbai hold back when Shen Nian, blushing to his ears and clutching his clothes, obediently admitted to being his “wife”?

Everything unfolded so naturally.

The little fish that had just reached the shore couldn’t escape being devoured by the cat. The poor fish didn’t even realize that the gentle, soft-hearted cat who offered it shelter had, in fact, placed it right on the dinner table, ready to feast.

In the dimly lit room, inappropriate sounds filled the air. The little fish struggled helplessly, but the cunning cat bit down on its weak spot, sinking deeper and deeper, prying open the delicate, trembling mouth of the fish.

The skilled cat wasn’t just feasting on an ordinary fish. It was after the rare treasure fish that needed to be filled up completely.

To achieve this, it had to feed the fish one… two… three… four… fingers deep.

The assisting cat paws that once helped widen the way withdrew, replaced by a more invasive tool that filled the fish’s mouth.

The little fish couldn’t cry out, nor could it escape. It could only struggle in vain as the increasingly sticky, wet sounds echoed through the room.

There was no ocean here, yet the sheets beneath them were crumpled and chaotic, resembling waves in a waterless sea. The fish thrashed, but the more it struggled, the deeper it sank, destined to drown in this sea of desire.

A cool breeze slipped through the slightly open window, rustling the curtains. However, the chill couldn’t lower the temperature of the heated room. The thin, sky-blue blanket dangled off the edge of the bed, nearly falling to the floor, only to be yanked back with force, wrinkling into countless folds.

A pale, slender wrist clutched the blanket tightly, fingers trembling and turning white from exertion. The bed frame trembled and creaked as if it could barely withstand the pressure.

The hand that had been gripping the sheets suddenly relaxed, and with the return of blood flow, the fingertips flushed from pale to a lovely pink.

Jian Yuanbai leaned down and kissed away the tears that had slipped from the corner of Shen Nian’s eyes. His hoarse, low voice was filled with endless desire.

“Wife…”

“Call me, wife,” Jian Yuanbai coaxed softly, kissing the corner of Shen Nian’s lips. “Call me, okay?”

His original intention was for Shen Nian to call him “husband.”

However, Shen Nian, with his flushed face and swollen lips from the kisses, stared at him blankly for half a minute before softly uttering, “…Ya…Fu.”

Jian Yuanbai’s tongue pressed hard against the roof of his mouth, his jaw tightening as veins bulged along his lean, muscular arms. His voice grew even deeper and more hoarse.

“Wife, you’re so good.”

That night, neither of them got much sleep.