Chapter 36: Puppy-Cat 

The System spoke with difficulty: [Is there a possibility that he is just making a transaction with someone?]

Wen Chu replied instantly: [Isn’t that just cheating?]

Saying this, he floated even faster.

A ball of black mist—this was all too common on the heavily polluted ground. Neither of the two people making the transaction noticed Wen Chu rapidly approaching.

The chestnut-haired boy took the money, furtively pulled out a cloth bag, and quickly stuffed it into the hands of the black-robed man in front of him.

“This time it’s Chinese cabbage seeds, a total of ten. They are all produced in the Steam City, guaranteed to be pollution-free. Seeing as you are a regular customer, I only charged you seven thousand eight. Remember to come to me again next time you need something.”

Xiu put the cloth bag into his robe and gave him a faint glance.

The heavy black outer robe wrapped him tightly. John couldn’t even see the other’s face clearly, but that single glance made him shudder.

He forced a smile: “Haha… actually, it’s fine if you don’t find me.”

Did this guy figure out that I was secretly calling him a sucker?

With acid rain and boiler room waste discharge, the soil on the ground was full of heavy metals, and the rivers were incomparably foul. There had been no green plants on the ground for a long time, and even if there were, they would be highly toxic.

As early as over five hundred years ago, they had completely lost natural sources of food, so there were constant rebellions, large and small, the most famous of which was the “Bread Campaign.”

But with the advent and improvement of steam robots, the ground fell completely.

They didn’t have Hearts of Steam, so even if they captured steam robots, they couldn’t power them. After several disastrous defeats five hundred years ago, the ground finally reached a truce agreement with the Steam City.

They completely sacrificed the ground’s environment to run boiler rooms, trading power with the upper class living in the Steam City for canned food.

Chinese cabbage seeds were certainly valuable, but on the ground, they only had collection value. No one would be stupid enough to plant vegetables on the ground.

Thinking this, John glanced at the black-robed man in front of him again.

Except for this man.

This man had already bought seeds from him five times.

From potatoes, tomatoes, and chili peppers to Chinese cabbage—he refused nothing.

Simply having too much money and nothing to do.

“Sir.” Just then, a low, husky female voice rang out.

She was 1.9 meters tall, almost as tall as Xiu, with red hair and green eyes. Riding a mechanical tricycle, she dragged a whole cart of coal to Xiu’s side.

The woman got off the vehicle respectfully: “Sir, the coal has been bought.”

Xiu similarly didn’t give her an extra look, just nodded lightly, and then sat on the cargo bed of the tricycle.

Before getting on, Xiu gave John a final glance and spoke to him for the first time.

“You’d best go home now.”

A very cold voice, like a chilly snake.

After he finished speaking, the red-haired woman pedaled the vehicle and took him away, leaving only John standing blankly on the spot.

“Go home now?” John repeated in confusion, then spat, “Pah.”

“I still have goods I haven’t sold yet. The patrol police are in a meeting and absent only one day a month. If I go home now, will my sister and I eat steam next month?”

He didn’t take the weird black-robed man’s words to heart at all, cursed on the spot about how the other didn’t know the suffering of the poor, and continued walking toward the city center.

Before he even reached the central city square, John ran smack into a patrol officer with a gun walking out of an alley.

He looked thin, small, and childish, appearing to be a minor. The patrol officer rushed up without hesitation and grabbed him by the collar.

“Are you a minor? Show your ID, or I will send you to the welfare institute right now.”

John struggled: “Let go of me! I won’t go to the welfare institute!! Do you know who my dad is??”

…

Xiu sat on the tricycle, looking at the boiler rooms emitting black smoke one by one along the road, and suddenly said, “The sister of that person just now, you can bring her over.”

Minnie, who was riding the bike, paused. After realizing what Xiu was saying, she said respectfully, “Yes, Sir.”

For Xiu to say this meant that the boy just now had already met with misfortune.

On the ground, underage vagrants must be sent to the welfare institute. They would work in the welfare institute, be whipped, and even be selected as goods by people from the Steam City.

Entering the welfare institute meant a narrow escape from death.

And as the leader of the Rebel Army, Minnie had many vagrants without household registration under her command, so naturally, she wouldn’t refuse to take in one more person.

It’s just…

How exactly did Sir foresee all of this?

Minnie very carefully glanced at the black-robed man sitting in the back seat out of the corner of her eye.

This mysterious person who was almost god-like in his prophetic abilities—even after working with him for three years, Minnie still didn’t dare to look directly at him.

Cold, taciturn, powerful, and loathing all physical contact with humans—this was Minnie’s deepest impression of Xiu.

Too terrifying.

Minnie thought.

Even the legendary God of Steam probably wasn’t as terrifying as this Sir.

Xiu said nothing more, just casually picking up a piece of coal from the cargo bed.

This piece of coal wasn’t anything special, except it wasn’t that angular; it was a small, dark, round ball.

It was even a little soft when pinched.

Wen Chu, disguised as coal: “…”

Caught off guard and meeting Xiu’s eyes, Wen Chu was also startled by the coldness in the other’s gaze. He asked the System cautiously: [Did Xiu discover me?]

System: [Probably.]

After all, what coal grows into the shape of a ball?

Wen Chu: QuQ

He had come aggressively wanting to settle accounts with Xiu, but upon finding that Xiu was just buying Chinese cabbage seeds, his arrogance instantly vanished.

Wen Chu had intended to follow behind Xiu and go home with him, but unexpectedly, a woman hauling coal appeared in the blink of an eye.

Wen Chu looked at his dark self, then at the dark coal, and confidently balled himself up to mix into the coal.

And then he was plucked out by Xiu.

Amidst the awkward eye contact, Wen Chu saw the black aura lingering on the other’s pale hand again.

No, not just on the hand.

Through his coal perspective, Wen Chu could clearly see that every inch of Xiu’s exposed skin was covered with a thick black aura that seemed almost substantial.

[What is this?] Wen Chu couldn’t help asking.

System: [This is his resentment. You can increase your Lifespan by devouring it.]

Wen Chu was still being pinched by Xiu at this moment.

Hearing this, he carefully extended a small black tongue and lightly licked Xiu’s fingertip.

Unexpectedly, he really licked off a small piece. The spot he had eaten instantly revealed soybean-sized clean skin.

Wen Chu chewed, didn’t taste anything, and swallowed it directly.

[Lifespan +5min]
[Remaining Lifespan: 3 Days 12 Hours 01 Minute]

Xiu seemed to have been scalded; his pupils dilated slightly, his wrist trembled, and the little black ball in his hand fell back into the cargo bed.

Wen Chu had a guilty conscience and took the opportunity to roll gulu-gulu back into the coal pile.

Xiu frowned, lifting his hand to look at his fingertip.

Because he was covered by black robes and black aura all year round and rarely saw the sun, his skin revealed a sickly pallor.

At this moment, suddenly having a small patch of black aura torn away, the skin on his fingertip had begun to turn red.

Xiu could even clearly recall the sensation of his fingertip being licked just now.

Sore and numb, with a faint stinging pain.

Like clam meat that had its hard shell pried open after not seeing the sun for a long time, overly sensitive to outside touch.

The black aura was only broken for a second or two before it once again shrouded his fingertip.

Xiu hid his hand tightly under the black robe, frowning as he looked at the coal in the cargo bed.

Obviously, that little black ball bold enough to lick him had already mixed into the coal and couldn’t be found for a while.

“Sir.” Minnie in front noticed Xiu’s gaze and thought he had discovered something, actively explaining, “I bought 200 kilograms of coal according to your instructions. The seller gave an extra fifty kilograms, so it looks like a lot. I’m still inquiring about the Heart of Steam. The Steam City’s control over the Heart of Steam is too strict; every boiler room has a fixed quota, so I can’t find a channel for a while.”

Xiu didn’t respond, just swept another faint glance over the coal pile.

Not only was an extra fifty kilograms given, but a bold little thing with lustful guts also mixed in.

He withdrew his gaze, thinking coolly, If it can’t be found, then let it remain unfound.

Touching the black aura on his body, no matter what that small ball was, it probably wouldn’t live past an hour.

The steam tricycle continued forward. As it drove out of the main urban area, it just happened to cross paths with the patrol officer holding John.

The patrol officer looked at the 1.9-meter red-haired Minnie, then at Xiu sitting in the back seat of the vehicle, assuming it was just another restocking vehicle for a boiler room and didn’t think much of it.

John, on the other hand, widened his eyes looking at Xiu, who was covered by the black robe sitting on the cargo bed.

—He knew early on that there would be patrol police today.

John finally remembered the last look Xiu gave him.

Cold, indifferent, as if seeing through everything, without even a shred of pity, just dropping a word of advice like alms.

John shuddered.

At this very moment, like Minnie, he felt endless awe rising in his heart for the man under the black robe.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Gods have no extra kindness for bystanders.

---

At the same time, Wen Chu was hiding in the coal pile peeking at Xiu.

The System dutifully introduced to him: [The red-haired one is Minnie. She is the leader of the Rebel Army, regards Xiu as a mentor-like existence, and respects Xiu very much.]

Wen Chu’s focus was completely skewed. He was shocked: [Xiu is being a teacher to others behind my back?]

System: [……]

The System looked at the little black ball who was about to start wuwuwu-ing again and said helplessly: [He isn’t cheating, and he isn’t being a teacher to others. It’s just that Minnie respects him very much. Can you stop always thinking Xiu is cheating?]

[You guys aren’t even lovers yet, right?]

Wen Chu felt wronged, shrinking into a listless ball: [Oh.]

Just as the System couldn’t help reflecting on whether he was a bit too fierce, Wen Chu spoke again slowly: [It doesn’t matter; I will become lovers with him very quickly.]

System: [.]

System: [Then good luck.]

[By the way, there’s a new function installed for you. Don’t bother me about falling in love with Xiu in the future.]

As the System spoke, a light screen popped up in front of Wen Chu.

The light screen was pink, with Xiu’s photo on it, and below it was a white heart-shaped progress bar.

[Current Favorability: 5/100]

Wen Chu curiously leaned in to look at the light screen.

The System explained: [This is Xiu’s favorability toward you. Favorability above 60 is ordinary friends, above 80 is close friends, above 90 is lovers. Judge for yourself in the future.]

Wen Chu nodded vigorously, his whole ball pressed against the light screen, rubbing against it lovingly, and then gave it a big smooch: [Okay, thank you.]

System: […Just don’t forget the mission.]

While they were talking, the steam tricycle stopped, and Xiu, sitting on the cargo bed, got off.

Accompanied by the “Please pay attention when reversing” horn sound, Wen Chu only felt the cargo bed tilt violently.

And then.

Crash—

He was dumped onto the ground along with the coal.

Wen Chu was, after all, just a cloud of mist. With a poof, he was crushed apart by the coal and started scrambling to find himself again.

It was also by borrowing this moment of dissipation that he took the opportunity to fly into mid-air, able to look down at Xiu and Minnie from above.

This was a remote small factory converted from a boiler room, but no black smoke was coming out from operations. At this moment, Wen Chu was inside the warehouse.

Minnie was registering the inventory: “Sir, we already have eighty tons of coal. Do we need to continue buying?”

Xiu looked at the warehouse full of coal, his gaze lingering in mid-air for a while, then said, “No need.”

Minnie nodded. She didn’t ask why Xiu spent a huge sum of money to buy so much coal in early autumn. After registering, she respectfully followed Xiu out of the warehouse, reporting simultaneously: “Our active forces have reached one thousand people, and the western suburbs have been completely controlled. Developing at the current rate…”

“Too slow,” Xiu interrupted her.

Minnie shut her mouth, waiting for Xiu to continue.

Xiu didn’t stop walking. “Are you still relying on flyers to promote the Rebel Army?”

Minnie nodded: “Yes, the minors in the building are distributing flyers every day.”

Xiu evaluated coldly: “Useless effort.”

“Since five hundred years ago, when people could use the power of boiler rooms to exchange for canned food from the Steam City, the conflict has been heading toward calming down. Even if the average lifespan is only thirty years, and tuberculosis and heart disease are prevalent, no one thinks of resisting because they have room to survive.”

“Human resilience is strong enough that they can survive as long as there is a slight possibility. Because of this, as long as there is a possibility of living a stable life, they will not give up their unchanging lives to resist. Even if they resist, when facing thousands of steel machines, even the most courageous people will become deserters before the battle.”

“If there is a way of retreat, there will be no courage to burn one’s bridges.”

Xiu stopped walking.

They had reached the breeding area. Several weak chicks saw Xiu and ran over chirping.

Minnie understood and casually scattered some feed to lead the chicks away.

Xiu stepped back a bit and continued, “Unless they, like you, encounter hope after having nowhere to go.”

Minnie paused.

Xiu looked at her. Those transparent blue eyes seemed to see through all the thoughts in Minnie’s heart. “You must intensify the conflict, making them realize the oppression while seeing the hope of success.”

Ignoring Minnie’s stupor, Xiu continued walking forward, dropping a sentence lightly.

“There will be a heavy snow this winter.”

Hearing this, Minnie looked in shock at the warehouse full of coal not far away, once again unable to stop a chill from running down her spine.

Too terrifying…

Xiu was like a god who knew everything like the back of his hand. Everything he did would connect into a line at a certain moment, shocking her into speechlessness.

Wen Chu floated in mid-air, ignoring Minnie who had fallen behind, and continued forward with Xiu.

He also roughly understood.

[Xiu wants to use coal to save people during the heavy snow and win over people’s hearts.]

The System was a bit surprised: [Quite smart.]

Wen Chu held his head high: [I want to help Xiu!]

Saying this, Wen Chu remembered his Lifespan and hurriedly asked the System: [Can my Lifespan be transferred to others like in the previous world?]

[Yes,] the System said. [You can also separate a part of your body. You are mist; places covered by you can be purified.]

[Of course, Lifespan also needs to be deducted.]

Wen Chu, who already had experience from stealing food, was confident: [It doesn’t matter; I’ll go eat Xiu tonight.]

Xiu slept very soundly at night.

As long as his movements were a bit smaller and he didn’t touch Xiu’s reproductive cavity, he could eat safely.

System: [?]

System: [Didn’t you say you would definitely become lovers with Xiu? Is this your method?]

Hasn’t Wen Chu realized yet how unapproachable Xiu is in this world?

[Of course not.] Wen Chu had a plan. [To get close to Xiu, first I can’t turn into human form; it’s too ugly.]

System: [……]

Wen Chu continued: [Then I need to figure out what Xiu needs and what Xiu likes, and turn into what Xiu likes to satisfy his needs.]

[Now I already know Xiu wants to help the Rebel Army and also destroy the world along the way. It just so happens I also need clean air, so I want to help Xiu promote the Rebel Army’s movement. Before that, I need to figure out what Xiu likes.]

This sounded somewhat reasonable; the System barely managed not to mock him.

While talking to the System, Wen Chu had already floated with Xiu to a piece of wasteland.

Unlike the blackened and hardened soil elsewhere, this wasteland had clearly been carefully cultivated, with a few deformed seedlings growing crookedly.

Xiu reached into his black robe, took out the small cloth bag containing Chinese cabbage seeds, and casually scattered the ten seeds into the ground.

The wasteland was at the back of the yard. Not far away, a big yellow dog was kept. Seeing Xiu, it whimpered fearfully and hid back in the doghouse.

Xiu didn’t pay much attention to the hiding dog. After scattering the seeds, he returned to the yard, seeing from a distance that Minnie was picking up the children returning from distributing flyers one by one, so he walked around them.

“Sir.” Minnie called out to him.

Xiu stopped and looked at Minnie.

Minnie held a short-haired little girl in one hand and carried a calico cat in the other. “Dorothy picked up a kitten and wants to raise it. Is that okay?”

Xiu met the kitten’s round eyes for a moment, then looked away with no interest. “Whatever. I’m going back to my room first.”

This meant agreement. Minnie and Dorothy beamed with joy.

Dorothy whispered into Minnie’s ear: “Say, does Sir like small animals? He agrees to raise all the animals we bring back.”

Minnie knocked Dorothy on the head, neither lightly nor heavily. “Don’t discuss Sir behind his back.”

Dorothy covered her head, stuck out her tongue, and stopped talking.

Wen Chu heard a snatch of this from afar.

[Xiu likes small animals?] Wen Chu murmured.

It seems so. When he was a little jellyfish, Xiu liked him very much.

Thinking this, Wen Chu looked at his round body and tried to mold himself into the shape of a jellyfish.

A small round ball with several tentacles appeared in the air.

Wen Chu: …

Can’t turn transparent. A ball with only tentacles is so ugly.

Like a big spider.

Xiu’s liked animals probably don’t include spiders.

Wen Chu sadly dispersed, then reassembled back into a round ball.

There were four stone buildings in the yard. Xiu owned one building alone, located in the innermost and most remote position. When he entered the door, he locked it behind him.

Because Wen Chu was slow from trying to turn into a jellyfish, he was locked out.

He looked at the gap between the wooden door and the ground, tried to squeeze, and successfully squeezed in.

Such an empty house.

This was Wen Chu’s first feeling.

Such a large three-story stone building, only the first floor had a bed in the darkest corner; the second and third floors were completely empty.

Xiu didn’t take off his outer robe. After entering the room, he lay directly on the bed, back to him, breathing evenly.

Under the tightly wrapped black robe, a hand covered by black aura was exposed, hanging off the edge of the bed.

Wen Chu maintained the flat shape from squeezing through the door crack, blending in with the dark ground, and moved closer to Xiu.

After moving to the bedside, Wen Chu waited for more than ten minutes, but Xiu remained still.

He decided to test the waters.

So, a small black tentacle appeared abruptly on the ground, lightly tapped the tip of Xiu’s finger hanging by the bed, and quickly retracted.

Xiu still had no reaction.

Xiu seems to be asleep.

Wen Chu didn’t think sleeping during the day was weird at all. Emboldened, he opened his mouth.

Ah-woo.

He swallowed the first joint of Xiu’s index finger in one bite.

The little mist was simply too small and could only eat slowly from the fingertip.

Wen Chu had no teeth and was afraid of biting Xiu, so he licked off the black aura on the other’s finger bit by bit, satisfied to see Xiu’s finger being saved by him from the layers of black aura.

[Lifespan +1h]
[Remaining Lifespan: 3 Days 12 Hours 49 Minutes]

Wow, eating one finger joint adds an hour of life.

Wen Chu happily licked the section of finger he had cleaned again.

Xiu’s hand is so cold.

In the next moment, the place he licked turned a rich red.

Huh? Why did it turn red again?

Before Wen Chu could react to what was happening, he saw Xiu’s wrist tremble, and this pale hand grabbed directly at him.

Wen Chu’s scalp tightened.

“It is you,” Xiu’s cold voice rang out.

Discovered.

Seeing that he was about to be pulled out from under the bed, Wen Chu’s brain worked at high speed.

Must turn into what Xiu likes, what Xiu likes…

“What kind of thing are you exactly—”

Xiu’s voice came to an abrupt halt.

Looking at the little black cat with nine tails, no bigger than a palm, in his hand, a “confused” expression appeared on his face for the first time.

The little mist was still thinking hard.

How do cats call? He didn’t seem to hear the cat meow just now.

The little cat condensed from mist looked at the person under the black robe and tentatively said, “…Cheep?”

Xiu: …

Seems wrong.

Wen Chu called again: “Woof?”

Xiu: …

The hood of the black cloak finally fell.

The hidden long golden hair cascaded down. Wen Chu finally saw Xiu’s full appearance with his own eyes.

Cold and clean features, the shadow of platinum eyelashes cast under his eyes, gloomy and obscure. Those thin lips were pursed lightly, uncomfortably rubbing the reddened finger, allowing the black aura to shroud it again.

The black aura lingering around Xiu stopped abruptly at his neck.

The other hooked his lips, holding him up, and smiled meanly and maliciously: “Oh—so it’s a puppy-cat.”

[Current Favorability: 10/100]

Wen Chu: 0.0

Eh, I called correctly?