STB Chapter 111: Conditions

When Li Fei went to Haicheng, it’s already midnight.

Because he received a notice from Red Dragon half an hour after departure, he knew that Geng Tian had been sent to a military hospital and that there is no danger to his life. Li Fei’s anger is barely reduced.

In the latter half of the journey, Jian Hua originally wanted to replace Li Fei, but Li Fei firmly rejected, because Jian Hua has been awake for more than 24 hours. If Jian Hua fell asleep while driving, then there’d be a car accident.

“I’m in good spirits today.” Jian Hua explained.

This half month, because he was “panicking”, his whole person was disoriented and lazy. Today, this feeling alleviated a lot, and it’s now midnight, but he’s still not sleepy.

But Li Fei does not agree with this statement.

“You don’t feel sleepy right now because so many things happened today.”

“……”

First, you knew about how you died, and then you encountered Dr. Mad who attacked Haicheng.

Jian Hua swallowed back the words he prepared in defense. There were no lights in the car, but lights from both sides of the road flashed by. He looked at Li Fei’s side profile, trying to find the hidden anxiety beneath that elegant and beautiful face. Jian Hua suddenly felt that Li Fei is under a lot of pressure, to be bothered by Black Abyss’ affairs, and also worry about his physical condition.

Both these problems placed him on the verge of being “out of control”.

Black Abyss has no time to develop calmly, and there’s no option of being lowkey. Even Li Fei has to leave the public eye because of his identity. The last time he crossed the streets, he had to cover his face heavily.

Jian Hua still remembers the first time he entered the Abandoned World with Li Fei. They gazed at each other in the silent city, their eyes showing comfort and appreciativeness. It was as if he’s about to go on stage, away from a world of bondage and domination.

Even when they soon discovered that Abandoned World is not just quiet and that there are also a variety of monsters, Li Fei still calmly coped with it. He talked about those dangers, smiled and negotiated with Red Dragon. Thinking back, Jian Hua felt that Li Fei’s whole body seemed to be shining at that moment. It’s a vivid color and very bright, filling people’s eyes with a vitality that you can’t move your eyes away.

However, Jian Hua rarely sees Li Fei smile nowadays……

“Destiny” derailed their lives in a wild rush. For Li Fei to form Black Abyss, he can feel the change that “the plot is accelerating”. Whether its the ability holders organization, the government, or those book transmigrators, the most they needed is time, but the “Abandoned World” did not give them this opportunity.

If you use the monsters in Monster Manual and the time they appeared to determine the “storyline”, it’s now the third year of the novel 《Outcast》. The problem is that for them, the Abandoned World came for just three months, but they’re already welcoming the end.

Maybe the promising young American heroes on the American Abilities Bureau would not develop if there is no mysterious Black Abyss.

——the hero and villain have no chance to debut, only the madman, no matter how bad the environment, can still brush their presence.

“Worried about Geng Tian?”

“No, for you.”

“……”

Li Fei is slightly surprised.

The two people never talked, but what was said is the truth.

“I don’t have a scale so I can only guess. You lost at least five pounds. If Assistant Lin saw you, he will surely be pleased.”

Because a thinner face and body is more popular on screen rather than a rounder face, the Star Entertainment Media celebrities are dieting all year round. In China, if you want to control other’s mouths, it’s a particularly painful thing. Especially in winter when Chinese are caught up with traditional customs for the New Year, being fat is not a good thing. If you are a circle thinner at the end of the year, the Film Emperor’s exclusive stylist and makeup artist, represented by Assistant Lin, will be happy to let him eat half a bowl more.

Li Fei slightly curls his mouth, “They don’t have to be happy for me. I am now unemployed. They have to find another job to make ends meet.”

“You still have the drama 《Black Bamboo》.” Jian Hua reminded the Movie Emperor. As someone’s stuntman, Jian Hua is well aware that this movie is not yet finished.

“You’re originally scheduled to shoot mid-March, but we don’t even know if I can you make it.” Li Fei looked at the bustling streets the car had driven by, and the smile on his face slowly fades, until it disappeared.

He is of course not referring to the cast changing their lead actor, but on such a calm night, he doesn’t know how long his peaceful life will last.

Dr. Mad is willfully uncovering the truth that Red Dragon is trying to cover up.

“A large-scale melee between ability holders are near, and it’s just a matter of sooner or later.” Jian Hua calmly said.

“I just don’t want it to come so soon……” Li Fei sighed regretfully.

His mood is very understandable to Jian Hua. It’s like a masquerade where the prey that is supposed to be hidden but was forcibly dragged into the open. They can’t keep a low profile, and can’t play the pig to eat the tiger which is in line with the intention of the organization’s development plan to muddy the waters. They want to take this opportunity to make a new plan. The conditions to “change their fate” are obscure, and their plan can’t keep up with the changes. It’s just so hard, like punching the air. They feel like they didn’t change anything at all.

“The madman will send a second video soon. Until he muddies the water completely, he won’t stop.”

Jian Hua quietly listened, not speaking.

Li Fei’s attitude is like having a random chat, “What do you think he’ll announce? Those who kill the creatures in the Abandoned World will gain power, or that killing ability holders can also have the same effect……however, people are dying every day in the Abandoned World. The effect is not obvious, so they have to start with something like the cannibalistic squid or high-order ability holders. Which is easier to kill, people or monsters?”

He whispered a laugh and tiredly looked at the streetlights outside the car.

Abandoned World is really like the shadow behind this glamorous society. After peeling off the camouflage called civilization, to what extent can thinking only of naked self-interest expand?

That is the future that Red Dragon wants to stop, and the carnival that Dr. Mad is looking forward to.

“Red Dragon’s high-order ability holders will soon be exhausted.” Meeting someone like Dr. Mad, they can only seek help from S-class ability holders.

Li Fei seemed to have made a decision. He said word by word, “Stay in Huai City.”

“That’s impossible.”

“The hyphae can’t be expanded again. If they penetrate a lot of voids, and then didn’t come back, even having more than two Corgis are useless.” Li Fei involuntarily raised his voice.

Jian Hua never opposed Li Fei’s opinion, but this thing is nonnegotiable.

“You never told me, how did you die ‘according to your fate’ but I can guess.” Jian Hua spoke with a blank expression, “If I am still by your side, this thing will not happen at all.”

“……”

Li Fei can’t speak.

——the so-called “this thing”doesn’t mean that “Li Fei will not die”, but that “I am the only one alive”.

Both were struck by silence and stumbled at each other. Who can convince who under this circumstances? It’s meaningless to continue arguing.

Five minutes later, they entered the city. Red Dragon’s Major Zhang’s phone also chimed on time.

Haicheng has many ability holders. Although there’s no traffic jam in the middle of the night, this time it’s a big deal, so Major Zhang led his subordinates to greet them in person. To prevent the embarrassing situation of falling into the Abandoned World during the meeting, the Red Dragon members in Haicheng distributed all over the city find a safe place where Abandoned World came just a few hours ago.

The overlap points of Abandoned World found in China, except for the Ganzhou Highway incident, all follow the rule that Abandoned World would not open twice within 24 hours, and there is no situation of ordinary people straying inside.

Major Zhang looked at the three alternative locations on the screen. With one thought, he chose the hot pot restaurant that is open all night.

According to Chinese people’s thinking, it’s always easier to communicate during dinner, and more convenient to deal with tricky topics……

Li Fei is driving, so the phone is, of course, picked up by Jian Hua.

“Hotpot shop? I have a bad stomach recently, can’t eat.” Jian Hua didn’t think about it and directly rejected.

Whether his stomach is good or not, he has the mushrooms. The person who can’t eat is Li Fei.

Zhang YaoJin was forced to choose Riverside Park. Because Haicheng’s night scenery is beautiful, Riverside Park is more lively at night. Both sides have landmark buildings, and the night riverboat business is hot. There’d be a significant flow of people, so the security is not as good as the hotpot shop!

After hanging up the phone, Major Zhang remembered that Jian Hua is the Devourer. Anyone can have a stomachache, but can Jian Hua have this problem? This is like Poseidon drowning in a pool, or Flame Demon having frostbite, it’s utterly ridiculous.

“Major, think about the benefits, we can omit to pay for catering.”

Zhang YaoJin glanced at Guan Ling, and found that all Red Dragon members have expressions saying “What Miss Guan says makes sense”. He can’t help but hold his forehead, then commanded, “Preserve this challenge letter well. Scan the content again, and take a few original photos to send to Li Fei. Prevent those two from being too angry, and ruining the evidence.”

“……the love letter is addressed to Jian Hua.” In regards to Dr. Mad’s motive, Zhang YaoJin’s subordinates insist on their opinions.

“It’s a challenge letter!” Major Zhang snapped and stressed out.

“Yes, Major!” The crowd stood straight and saluted.

Zhang YaoJin did not go far when he heard the people behind him talking about it.

“This gibberish letter, will Jian Hua get angry?”

The character analysis of the Devourer is more reliable than the Penguin Group Chat of book transmigrators.

“The Devourer won’t, but the Flame Demon will.”

“It’s not addressed to him, why would he get angry? If I receive this letter, you can make fun of me for a whole year.”

“You don’t even know the relationship between them?”

Zhang YaoJin coughed drily, and the sounds behind him immediately disappeared.

He walked into the elevator with a straight face. Guan Ling hesitantly followed. After pressing the elevator button, she made up her mind to advice her leader, “Major Zhang, I don’t agree with only the high officials being allowed to read the latest file about the S-class ability holders. I think everyone in the entire Red Dragon needs to know this.”

Major Zhang stared at her.

Jian Hua and Li Fei rolled on the bed, does he still have to advertise it?

How many gossipmongers are on his intelligence team that even Major Zhang is not clear himself? There’s one or two, and probably another one and another batch. There’s a chance that there’ll be a speculation in the final report saying “Their habit of lying down in a mushroom pile is maybe because the mushrooms have ‘other’ use”?

It seems that she read the meaning in Zhang YaoJin’s eyes. Guan Ling was so embarrassed that she blushed up to the roots of her neck.

Fortunately, the elevator doors slowly closed between the two, blocking the embarrassing situation.