In the live broadcast room
[“The Old Man.”]
[“No.”]
[When did the big boss ever experience such grievance? It’s so cool! It’s satisfying to see God Xin harden himself, those big bosses used to bully him.]
[By the way, I don’t recall the big boss ever bullying God Xin.]
[God Xin has cried so many times, isn’t that a form of bullying?]
[Hmm, crying doesn’t seem like the correct response, does it?]
[The speed of the car doesn’t feel right. Did it suddenly increase? Why didn’t anyone mention that the seat belts weren’t fastened!]
[Big boss, take care of yourself and stop acting reserved. Look, look, your rival is late but has arrived. If you had the same emotional intelligence as your rival, your children would be playing with soy sauce by now, wouldn’t they?]
[Everyone, quickly type “big boss can’t” in the public chat!]
—————————-
Bai Lixin silently carried the sleeping bag to the wall, unfolded it, and placed it on the ground before getting inside.
He will not sleep tonight.
Every time he fell asleep, he would involuntarily enter Dr. Sang’s spiritual realm. Most of the time, it was another domain, but every word he uttered in that realm manifested as sleep talk.
Normally, it wouldn’t matter if it was just Xia Chi by his side, but this time he had these five experienced ability users with him.
He must not sleep!
—————————-
On the distant ark, Xia Chi suddenly sneezed.
He furrowed his brows, rubbed his nose, and quickly got into bed.
He secretly rejoiced, finally his brother wasn’t here tonight, so he could finally sleep peacefully.
Hmm, why did he feel that way? Didn’t he sleep well when his brother was here?
That’s peculiar.
——————————
Late at night, the surroundings were enveloped in deep slumber.
The bald man and the long-haired man took turns going outside to perform patrols.
Inside the room, the other ability users had all fallen asleep, and occasional snores could be heard.
The night was cold in this place, but because it was a closed environment, there was no way to light a bonfire.
Just as Bai Lixin snuggled into the sleeping bag and closed his eyes, a heavy garment suddenly descended from the sky and silently covered the sleeping bag.
Bai Lixin opened his eyes and turned his head to see Dr. Sang standing next to the sleeping bag, lazily leaning against the wall, silently gazing at him.
Two pairs of eyes unexpectedly locked onto each other in the air—clear eyes meeting slightly bewildered ones.
Bai Lixin moved, gently emerging from the sleeping bag and imitating Dr. Sang’s posture, leaning against the wall next to him. In a weak voice resembling a mosquito’s buzz, he whispered, “Thank you, Dr. Sang.”
Dr. Sang coughed lightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. After pondering for a moment, he spoke in a low voice, “Why aren’t you asleep?”
Bai Lixin replied, “I’m not sleepy.”
Dr. Sang naturally pulled up the jacket on the sleeping bag until it reached the young man’s shoulders, completely covering his body. “You should be sleeping by now. Rest well, there will be a tough battle to fight tomorrow.”
A tinge of embarrassment flashed across the young man’s face as he replied, “No, I can’t sleep.”
Dr. Sang leaned in to scrutinize the young man’s face and asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”
The young man’s embarrassment grew more pronounced, and there was a sense of tension like a secret was about to be spilled. He bit his lower lip, lowered his head, and whispered, “I tend to talk in my sleep.”
‘Sleep talk? But the young man always enters my realm. How can he dream?’
Suddenly, a bold idea emerged in Dr. Sang’s mind.
He looked at the young man in surprise and noticed that the young man’s head was buried even lower.
Dr. Sang’s eyes flickered, and he spoke maliciously, “What did you say? You were dreaming so how did you know you were talking in your sleep? Could it be that someone overheard you?”
Under his gaze, the young man slowly nodded.
Drawing closer, Dr. Sang said assertively, “What did you say?”
The young man looked up at him in fear.
But the man’s expression was serious. “It’s related to the surgery. Please tell me. Don’t lie to me.”
The young man glanced around, feeling ashamed. He leaned against the wall, placed his hands on it and stretched his body to whisper in the man’s ear, “Just know that I can create colorful dreams. I’m afraid of being overheard by others. I really don’t have any other reason. Please, please don’t ask me any further. It truly has nothing to do with you.”
The man choked up once again.
Nothing to do with him? Clearly, every time the protagonist is him, right?
Was he just a disposable object? Used and discarded? Didn’t he deny their connection?
The man’s sharp gaze dropped, but the young man made it clear that he didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Under the man’s gaze, he retreated back into the sleeping bag, turned his back to the man, and even covered his head with his clothes.
He conveyed his stance through practical actions.
The man who was left alone took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
Invisible ripples trembled through the air, and an unseen transparent barrier secretly enveloped Bai Lixin and the man.
——————————
After a moment of confusion, Bai Lixin opened his eyes and found himself sitting in the auditorium.
Something was being projected on the screen in front of him, and there were several people sitting around him.
Bai Lixin looked around suspiciously and noticed that the bearded man and the others were present.
Upon sensing his gaze, the bearded man greeted him, pointed to the large screen, and smiled, “Look, your movie is playing.”
Bai Lixin was taken aback, and suddenly he heard a burst of familiar and embarrassing moans.
He lifted his head abruptly and realized that there was a video of him and Dr. Sang on the big screen.
In the image, he was actively embracing the handsome man’s neck and greedily and ambiguously kissing him.
His mind buzzed, and he heard the bearded man’s admiration, “It’s so beautiful. The love between you and Dr. Sang is so touching. You are truly the most enviable couple in the world.”
Bai Lixin was stunned for a moment, looked at the big screen in front of him, glanced at the people around him, and suddenly realized that he wasn’t in the real world, but in the man’s spiritual realm.
As this thought crossed his mind, he noticed a person sitting beside him.
In the next second, he was lifted up and straddled the man, his back pressed against the man’s chest.
The cold and firm chest pressed against his back, and the strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist, rendering him immobile.
The man leaned his chin on the young man’s shoulder, and his hoarse, deep voice slowly reached his ears, “How do you like the movie?”
As the man spoke, his teeth lightly nibbled on Bai Lixin’s earlobe, sending a tingling sensation that made Bai Lixin tremble and his body shudder uncontrollably.
The people around looked over curiously, especially Naia, their clear eyes were full of curiosity.
Though he knew it was all an illusion, Bai Lixin couldn’t help but feel overwhelming embarrassment. He turned his head with difficulty to look at the man and pleaded softly, “Please, don’t.”
The man’s eyes darkened, a hint of anger apparent.
He slightly furrowed his brows, and his teeth followed the earlobe down to the young man’s collarbone, the biting becoming firmer while ensuring not to hurt him. “Why not?” he questioned. “We are clearly lovers. Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Why did you deny our relationship?”
“Why did you say you don’t have a lover?”
“I’m very angry, you know?” He lightly left tooth marks.
The fingers supporting the waist moved up to the young man’s chin. The man controlled him, forcing him to look at Naia, and asked in an almost cruel tone, “Didn’t you say I’m your lover? Every time you appeared, you would initiate hugs, seduce me, and kiss me. Why are you suddenly scared when he’s around? Are you afraid he’ll see it? Are you afraid he’ll discover your true self?”
He locked eyes with Naia’s curious ones. The embarrassment of being noticed seemed to trigger something strange, causing the young man’s entire body to flush pink. “No, no, I was just scared.”
Seeing the young man on the verge of tears with a look of grievance, the man’s heart softened.
He waved his arm lightly, and instantly, all the audience turned into granular dust, dissipating into the air. However, the action-packed movie of the two continued to play on the big screen.
The man lifted the young man by his waist and turned him, positioning them to face each other.
Seeing teardrops falling from the corners of the young man’s eyes, the man’s heart twitched. He embraced the young man tightly, gently patting his back. “I’m sorry.” “I was so angry.”
“I don’t even know what I’m doing, but when I heard you say that we have nothing to do with each other, and when I saw that young ability user pursuing you, my chest was filled with anger.”
The young man wrinkled his nose and sighed softly, “That’s great.”
Surprised, the man asked, “What’s so great about it?”
The young man’s expression returned to normal. “You’re great in the dream. You get jealous because of me, lose control, and passionately declare your ownership over me.” In the next moment, the young man’s long eyelashes drooped, hiding his lost expression. “That’s enough for me.”
The man brushed his fingers over the young man’s tense waistline. “What if I were like this in reality?”
He blinked, “I definitely wouldn’t accept you in reality.”
The man suddenly frowned, “Why?”
The young man replied, “Because you wouldn’t be like this in reality. You wouldn’t be a zombie. In reality, you’re a brilliant scientist on the ark, a researcher driven by curiosity. You carry the weight of the world and too many things in your heart. But only in the dream do you belong to me.”
“And this dream is my own creation. In reality, you’re not so obedient or submissive.”
The young man paused, his gaze fixed on the man. “Nor are you interesting or exciting. You’re just dull and boring.”
The man: “???”
Why did it feel like several knives had been plunged into his back simultaneously?
He stared at the young man with his pure white eyes, awkwardly asking, “Um, what is interesting? Is it acting like the young ability user today, talking to each other full of love and taking the initiative? Or something else?”
The young man pondered for a few seconds
and was about to speak but then closed his mouth abruptly as if he had remembered something.
The man Inquired, “What’s the matter?”
The young man replied, “No, I can’t say it. I’m not alone in the dormitory now, and someone might overhear.”
The man’s eyes flickered, and he spoke persuasively, “How did you handle it when the person in the dormitory heard you talking in this dream?”
The young man replied, “I simply used my charm ability to make them forget.”
The man’s eyes continued to flicker as he said, “So you don’t have to worry here. The outside world and the ark are different. Outside, you can subconsciously suppress your sleep talking.”
“Really?” The young man expressed doubt.
The man assured him, “Really. You can ask the people around you tomorrow if you’ve been talking in your sleep.”
Although Bai Lixin knew the man was deceiving him, he knew the man had done something to block them so he could now rest assured.
In the next moment, Bai Lixin spun around, and the surroundings suddenly changed.
They found themselves surrounded by greenery, with colorful flowers vying to emerge from the lush green grass.
In the distance, the sparkling sea stretched out, and occasional seabirds flew across its expanse.
Bai Lixin felt a sense of familiarity with the scene before him. After thinking for a couple of seconds, he remembered that it was the same scene from the movie they had watched earlier.
The man looked at the young man with a mix of unfamiliarity and anticipation. He cautiously handed him the flowers from behind and asked sincerely, “Is this considered fun?”
Seeing the young man accept the flowers, the man secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “I noticed on the bridge earlier that you seem to have a fondness for the sea.”
The young man replied, “It’s not the sea itself that I like, but the life it once nurtured.”
“In my past experiences, I encountered a sea goddess who gave birth to countless lives. They struggled and carried the weighty responsibility of shaping history with their seemingly insignificant existence. Although it was the beginning of a new life, it was a vibrant world.”
“But now, all I see is gloom and decay. Life seems to be nearing its end.”
“Even the ocean that once teemed with countless lives has become lifeless.”
“I truly hope to find a solution soon. An antigen to produce antibodies and antidotes. I hope we can still save the world.”
The man looked down at the young man’s seldom serious face and spoke indifferently, “Even if we find these so-called antigens and produce antibodies and antidotes, it doesn’t guarantee the salvation of the world.”
The young man covered his flickering eyes with thick eyelashes and asked, “Why do you say that? Do you know something?”
The man responded, “Knowing too much isn’t good for you. I don’t know much either. The collapse of the world isn’t solely due to the virus infection following the nuclear leak; there are other reasons.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but I can’t. I made a promise not to reveal certain secrets. Some things aren’t mine to share, and I must abide by this agreement.” After a two-second pause, the man’s pure white eyes gazed into the distance before changing the topic. “I’ve encountered people with peculiar behaviors before.”
“They suddenly appear, easily tampering with the rules of the world and manipulating people’s memories, allowing these ability users to naturally exist in the ark. Some of these beings appeared abruptly and remained here, while others disappeared and returned.”
“At one point, I even questioned the reality of this world. Are there other worlds beyond this one? Or is this world itself real?” The man’s gaze shifted from the sea to Bai Lixin. “And you, it seems you’re also one of these peculiar ability users.”
“I’ve been in the ark for over ten years, and I’ve never seen you before.”
“So, who are you people?”
In the live broadcast room
[“The Old Man.”]
[“No.”]
[When did the big boss ever experience such grievance? It’s so cool! It’s satisfying to see God Xin harden himself, those big bosses used to bully him.]
[By the way, I don’t recall the big boss ever bullying God Xin.]
[God Xin has cried so many times, isn’t that a form of bullying?]
[Hmm, crying doesn’t seem like the correct response, does it?]
[The speed of the car doesn’t feel right. Did it suddenly increase? Why didn’t anyone mention that the seat belts weren’t fastened!]
[Big boss, take care of yourself and stop acting reserved. Look, look, your rival is late but has arrived. If you had the same emotional intelligence as your rival, your children would be playing with soy sauce by now, wouldn’t they?]
[Everyone, quickly type “big boss can’t” in the public chat!]
—————————-
Bai Lixin silently carried the sleeping bag to the wall, unfolded it, and placed it on the ground before getting inside.
He will not sleep tonight.
Every time he fell asleep, he would involuntarily enter Dr. Sang’s spiritual realm. Most of the time, it was another domain, but every word he uttered in that realm manifested as sleep talk.
Normally, it wouldn’t matter if it was just Xia Chi by his side, but this time he had these five experienced ability users with him.
He must not sleep!
—————————-
On the distant ark, Xia Chi suddenly sneezed.
He furrowed his brows, rubbed his nose, and quickly got into bed.
He secretly rejoiced, finally his brother wasn’t here tonight, so he could finally sleep peacefully.
Hmm, why did he feel that way? Didn’t he sleep well when his brother was here?
That’s peculiar.
——————————
Late at night, the surroundings were enveloped in deep slumber.
The bald man and the long-haired man took turns going outside to perform patrols.
Inside the room, the other ability users had all fallen asleep, and occasional snores could be heard.
The night was cold in this place, but because it was a closed environment, there was no way to light a bonfire.
Just as Bai Lixin snuggled into the sleeping bag and closed his eyes, a heavy garment suddenly descended from the sky and silently covered the sleeping bag.
Bai Lixin opened his eyes and turned his head to see Dr. Sang standing next to the sleeping bag, lazily leaning against the wall, silently gazing at him.
Two pairs of eyes unexpectedly locked onto each other in the air—clear eyes meeting slightly bewildered ones.
Bai Lixin moved, gently emerging from the sleeping bag and imitating Dr. Sang’s posture, leaning against the wall next to him. In a weak voice resembling a mosquito’s buzz, he whispered, “Thank you, Dr. Sang.”
Dr. Sang coughed lightly, a faint blush coloring his cheeks. After pondering for a moment, he spoke in a low voice, “Why aren’t you asleep?”
Bai Lixin replied, “I’m not sleepy.”
Dr. Sang naturally pulled up the jacket on the sleeping bag until it reached the young man’s shoulders, completely covering his body. “You should be sleeping by now. Rest well, there will be a tough battle to fight tomorrow.”
A tinge of embarrassment flashed across the young man’s face as he replied, “No, I can’t sleep.”
Dr. Sang leaned in to scrutinize the young man’s face and asked, “Why can’t you sleep?”
The young man’s embarrassment grew more pronounced, and there was a sense of tension like a secret was about to be spilled. He bit his lower lip, lowered his head, and whispered, “I tend to talk in my sleep.”
‘Sleep talk? But the young man always enters my realm. How can he dream?’
Suddenly, a bold idea emerged in Dr. Sang’s mind.
He looked at the young man in surprise and noticed that the young man’s head was buried even lower.
Dr. Sang’s eyes flickered, and he spoke maliciously, “What did you say? You were dreaming so how did you know you were talking in your sleep? Could it be that someone overheard you?”
Under his gaze, the young man slowly nodded.
Drawing closer, Dr. Sang said assertively, “What did you say?”
The young man looked up at him in fear.
But the man’s expression was serious. “It’s related to the surgery. Please tell me. Don’t lie to me.”
The young man glanced around, feeling ashamed. He leaned against the wall, placed his hands on it and stretched his body to whisper in the man’s ear, “Just know that I can create colorful dreams. I’m afraid of being overheard by others. I really don’t have any other reason. Please, please don’t ask me any further. It truly has nothing to do with you.”
The man choked up once again.
Nothing to do with him? Clearly, every time the protagonist is him, right?
Was he just a disposable object? Used and discarded? Didn’t he deny their connection?
The man’s sharp gaze dropped, but the young man made it clear that he didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Under the man’s gaze, he retreated back into the sleeping bag, turned his back to the man, and even covered his head with his clothes.
He conveyed his stance through practical actions.
The man who was left alone took a deep breath and slowly closed his eyes.
Invisible ripples trembled through the air, and an unseen transparent barrier secretly enveloped Bai Lixin and the man.
——————————
After a moment of confusion, Bai Lixin opened his eyes and found himself sitting in the auditorium.
Something was being projected on the screen in front of him, and there were several people sitting around him.
Bai Lixin looked around suspiciously and noticed that the bearded man and the others were present.
Upon sensing his gaze, the bearded man greeted him, pointed to the large screen, and smiled, “Look, your movie is playing.”
Bai Lixin was taken aback, and suddenly he heard a burst of familiar and embarrassing moans.
He lifted his head abruptly and realized that there was a video of him and Dr. Sang on the big screen.
In the image, he was actively embracing the handsome man’s neck and greedily and ambiguously kissing him.
His mind buzzed, and he heard the bearded man’s admiration, “It’s so beautiful. The love between you and Dr. Sang is so touching. You are truly the most enviable couple in the world.”
Bai Lixin was stunned for a moment, looked at the big screen in front of him, glanced at the people around him, and suddenly realized that he wasn’t in the real world, but in the man’s spiritual realm.
As this thought crossed his mind, he noticed a person sitting beside him.
In the next second, he was lifted up and straddled the man, his back pressed against the man’s chest.
The cold and firm chest pressed against his back, and the strong arms wrapped tightly around his waist, rendering him immobile.
The man leaned his chin on the young man’s shoulder, and his hoarse, deep voice slowly reached his ears, “How do you like the movie?”
As the man spoke, his teeth lightly nibbled on Bai Lixin’s earlobe, sending a tingling sensation that made Bai Lixin tremble and his body shudder uncontrollably.
The people around looked over curiously, especially Naia, their clear eyes were full of curiosity.
Though he knew it was all an illusion, Bai Lixin couldn’t help but feel overwhelming embarrassment. He turned his head with difficulty to look at the man and pleaded softly, “Please, don’t.”
The man’s eyes darkened, a hint of anger apparent.
He slightly furrowed his brows, and his teeth followed the earlobe down to the young man’s collarbone, the biting becoming firmer while ensuring not to hurt him. “Why not?” he questioned. “We are clearly lovers. Why didn’t you tell him?”
“Why did you deny our relationship?”
“Why did you say you don’t have a lover?”
“I’m very angry, you know?” He lightly left tooth marks.
The fingers supporting the waist moved up to the young man’s chin. The man controlled him, forcing him to look at Naia, and asked in an almost cruel tone, “Didn’t you say I’m your lover? Every time you appeared, you would initiate hugs, seduce me, and kiss me. Why are you suddenly scared when he’s around? Are you afraid he’ll see it? Are you afraid he’ll discover your true self?”
He locked eyes with Naia’s curious ones. The embarrassment of being noticed seemed to trigger something strange, causing the young man’s entire body to flush pink. “No, no, I was just scared.”
Seeing the young man on the verge of tears with a look of grievance, the man’s heart softened.
He waved his arm lightly, and instantly, all the audience turned into granular dust, dissipating into the air. However, the action-packed movie of the two continued to play on the big screen.
The man lifted the young man by his waist and turned him, positioning them to face each other.
Seeing teardrops falling from the corners of the young man’s eyes, the man’s heart twitched. He embraced the young man tightly, gently patting his back. “I’m sorry.” “I was so angry.”
“I don’t even know what I’m doing, but when I heard you say that we have nothing to do with each other, and when I saw that young ability user pursuing you, my chest was filled with anger.”
The young man wrinkled his nose and sighed softly, “That’s great.”
Surprised, the man asked, “What’s so great about it?”
The young man’s expression returned to normal. “You’re great in the dream. You get jealous because of me, lose control, and passionately declare your ownership over me.” In the next moment, the young man’s long eyelashes drooped, hiding his lost expression. “That’s enough for me.”
The man brushed his fingers over the young man’s tense waistline. “What if I were like this in reality?”
He blinked, “I definitely wouldn’t accept you in reality.”
The man suddenly frowned, “Why?”
The young man replied, “Because you wouldn’t be like this in reality. You wouldn’t be a zombie. In reality, you’re a brilliant scientist on the ark, a researcher driven by curiosity. You carry the weight of the world and too many things in your heart. But only in the dream do you belong to me.”
“And this dream is my own creation. In reality, you’re not so obedient or submissive.”
The young man paused, his gaze fixed on the man. “Nor are you interesting or exciting. You’re just dull and boring.”
The man: “???”
Why did it feel like several knives had been plunged into his back simultaneously?
He stared at the young man with his pure white eyes, awkwardly asking, “Um, what is interesting? Is it acting like the young ability user today, talking to each other full of love and taking the initiative? Or something else?”
The young man pondered for a few seconds
and was about to speak but then closed his mouth abruptly as if he had remembered something.
The man Inquired, “What’s the matter?”
The young man replied, “No, I can’t say it. I’m not alone in the dormitory now, and someone might overhear.”
The man’s eyes flickered, and he spoke persuasively, “How did you handle it when the person in the dormitory heard you talking in this dream?”
The young man replied, “I simply used my charm ability to make them forget.”
The man’s eyes continued to flicker as he said, “So you don’t have to worry here. The outside world and the ark are different. Outside, you can subconsciously suppress your sleep talking.”
“Really?” The young man expressed doubt.
The man assured him, “Really. You can ask the people around you tomorrow if you’ve been talking in your sleep.”
Although Bai Lixin knew the man was deceiving him, he knew the man had done something to block them so he could now rest assured.
In the next moment, Bai Lixin spun around, and the surroundings suddenly changed.
They found themselves surrounded by greenery, with colorful flowers vying to emerge from the lush green grass.
In the distance, the sparkling sea stretched out, and occasional seabirds flew across its expanse.
Bai Lixin felt a sense of familiarity with the scene before him. After thinking for a couple of seconds, he remembered that it was the same scene from the movie they had watched earlier.
The man looked at the young man with a mix of unfamiliarity and anticipation. He cautiously handed him the flowers from behind and asked sincerely, “Is this considered fun?”
Seeing the young man accept the flowers, the man secretly breathed a sigh of relief. “I noticed on the bridge earlier that you seem to have a fondness for the sea.”
The young man replied, “It’s not the sea itself that I like, but the life it once nurtured.”
“In my past experiences, I encountered a sea goddess who gave birth to countless lives. They struggled and carried the weighty responsibility of shaping history with their seemingly insignificant existence. Although it was the beginning of a new life, it was a vibrant world.”
“But now, all I see is gloom and decay. Life seems to be nearing its end.”
“Even the ocean that once teemed with countless lives has become lifeless.”
“I truly hope to find a solution soon. An antigen to produce antibodies and antidotes. I hope we can still save the world.”
The man looked down at the young man’s seldom serious face and spoke indifferently, “Even if we find these so-called antigens and produce antibodies and antidotes, it doesn’t guarantee the salvation of the world.”
The young man covered his flickering eyes with thick eyelashes and asked, “Why do you say that? Do you know something?”
The man responded, “Knowing too much isn’t good for you. I don’t know much either. The collapse of the world isn’t solely due to the virus infection following the nuclear leak; there are other reasons.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, but I can’t. I made a promise not to reveal certain secrets. Some things aren’t mine to share, and I must abide by this agreement.” After a two-second pause, the man’s pure white eyes gazed into the distance before changing the topic. “I’ve encountered people with peculiar behaviors before.”
“They suddenly appear, easily tampering with the rules of the world and manipulating people’s memories, allowing these ability users to naturally exist in the ark. Some of these beings appeared abruptly and remained here, while others disappeared and returned.”
“At one point, I even questioned the reality of this world. Are there other worlds beyond this one? Or is this world itself real?” The man’s gaze shifted from the sea to Bai Lixin. “And you, it seems you’re also one of these peculiar ability users.”
“I’ve been in the ark for over ten years, and I’ve never seen you before.”
“So, who are you people?”
