Chapter 118-I Clean Up Garbage in a Wasteland World
Chapter 118 Two-in-One
Waiting at the door was Fang Ying.
Every time Fang Ying looked at Zhu Ning now, she found it incredible. She'd recruited this employee herself, and in less than two months, Zhu Ning had already made contact with the Sanitation Center's core leadership.
Zhu Ning's latest mission had been extraordinarily bizarre. Other departments were watching like hawks. Yue Kaiyuan practically wanted to skin Zhu Ning alive.
Then Huo Wenxi had slapped down a confidentiality order, cutting off every prying gaze and pulling Zhu Ning into her protective circle.
In all her years as an assistant, Fang Ying had never seen Huo Wenxi operate like this—flaunting her privilege so openly. If you didn't know better, you'd think Zhu Ning was starring in some domineering boss falls for me drama.
"I don't know what happened on your mission, but it looks like you completed it perfectly." Fang Ying congratulated Zhu Ning.
"Your latest pay slip has been sent to your Sub-Brain. You can check it later."
Zhu Ning: "What's my current status?"
Fang Ying explained: "Team Leader Huo has already submitted the mission report. According to it, your team was simply collecting Contamination Spores when you were swept into a Contamination Zone. Due to contamination interference, all video files were lost."
Even Fang Ying could tell the report wasn't quite normal, but if Huo Wenxi said so, it was fact.
Zhu Ning breathed a sigh of relief. She really had found someone who could actually solve problems.
Fang Ying: "Your official position hasn't changed—you're still a Cleaner. But from now on, all your missions must be approved by Team Leader Huo. You've been removed from the Mission Center's assignment pool."
Zhu Ning: "So if Huo Wenxi doesn't approve anything, I can never go on a mission again?"
Fang Ying: "That's right. You belong to Team Leader Huo now."
Wonderful. Felt like she'd signed an indentured servitude contract. Every move would now be under Huo Wenxi's strict scrutiny.
All protection came at a price.
They talked as they walked. Fang Ying pressed the elevator button and asked quietly: "Zhu Ning, did you put a curse on Team Leader Huo?"
Zhu Ning found that funny. "Can you curse a little oracle?"
She wouldn't dare try to hex a fortune-teller.
Fang Ying laughed. "Fair point. But you really did latch onto a powerful patron. With Huo Wenxi backing you, nobody would dare touch you."
Zhu Ning sensed there was more to the story. "How so?"
Fang Ying gave a light cough. "Just gossip—Team Leader Huo is nicknamed the 'little oracle.' Care to guess if there's a 'big oracle'?"
Zhu Ning paused. Big oracle? She'd always assumed "little" referred to her youth, but maybe it was about seniority?
Fang Ying clearly knew things she couldn't elaborate on. "Team Leader Huo's surname is Huo. One of the Sanitation Center's founders was also surnamed Huo. Here's a hint: the Huo family tradition forbids cutting one's hair."
Zhu Ning immediately thought of Huo Wenxi's long braid. So that was it. No wonder she held such a high position at her age—Huo Wenxi came from a founding family.
As the Center's assistant, Fang Ying knew when to stop. Her casual gossip was actually a heads-up for Zhu Ning.
She was telling Zhu Ning to manage her relationship with Huo Wenxi carefully—crossing her would have consequences far worse than imagined.
And she'd directly revealed a distinguishing feature of the Huo family. If Zhu Ning ever encountered other Huo family members, she'd recognize them instantly and avoid trouble.
Zhu Ning understood. This was a veteran's workplace advice. Fang Ying was truly considerate.
The elevator opened. Fang Ying swiped her card and took Zhu Ning up.
Zhu Ning's face was reflected in the elevator doors. She was deep in thought. Fang Ying hadn't actually said much, but the information density was enormous for Zhu Ning.
This world was controlled by conglomerates. Conglomerates were the law, and they could override anyone.
She knew Eternal Pharma and Creation Technology were major corporations, but Zhu Ning often forgot that the Sanitation Center was fundamentally a corporation too.
How did this company actually operate?
Huo Wenxi's vast investigative authority was essentially about protecting the Sanitation Center's interests—or rather, her family's interests? Some of Zhu Ning's earlier questions suddenly had partial answers.
Zhu Ning's Abnormal Observation Room was on basement level 35. The elevator numbers climbed floor by floor. Past the 100th floor, the numbers disappeared—entering a classified zone.
Meaning Zhu Ning was approaching the upper echelons.
This building had 360 floors total. Each mission deepened Zhu Ning's understanding of the Sanitation Center. Where would she end up this time?
Ding—
The elevator stopped at floor 197. Beyond the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows lay clouds.
Zhu Ning could feel Huo Wenxi's exceptional status—her office was higher than Xuan Qing's.
But what lay above? Above Huo Wenxi? Were there even higher-ranking people?
Fang Ying: "Floors 197 through 200 all belong to the Abnormal Incident Investigation Team. Team Leader Huo has granted you clearance for floor 197."
Fang Ying walked her down the corridor to an office deep inside. She had other duties to attend to and left Zhu Ning at the door.
This was Zhu Ning's first time entering Huo Wenxi's office. Honestly, if you didn't know better, you'd think you'd walked into a kennel.
Scattered documents. A desk in complete chaos. A young man stood at the entrance.
He looked refined and cultured—like an assistant or a butler. Seeing Zhu Ning, he offered a smile. "Hello. I'm Team Leader Huo's partner, Zhuang Lin."
Zhu Ning eyed him skeptically.
Huo Wenxi didn't look up. "You can trust him. Have a seat."
Zhu Ning surveyed the room, utterly lost on where to sit. There wasn't a single clean chair in the place.
Zhuang Lin wheeled over an office chair for her, placing it across from Huo Wenxi.
Huo Wenxi: "Have her sign the confidentiality agreement."
Zhuang Lin handed Zhu Ning a prepared document. She glanced at it—the confidentiality agreement was actually quite vague, stating only that all mission contents were classified, without specifying anything in particular.
Zhu Ning read and signed it, then passed the folder back to Zhuang Lin. "You've decided to believe me?"
"Your claims have no supporting evidence. I'm looking for evidence," Huo Wenxi said.
Huo Wenxi: "At the same time, you need to prove to me that these beings actually exist and truly threaten human safety. I haven't fully committed to protecting you, and you're not fully safe either."
So Zhu Ning was safe and not safe at the same time.
Huo Wenxi: "From now on, you'll report regularly to the Abnormal Incident Investigation Team. I've arranged clearance for you. You're now one of my team members, assisting in the investigation of all incidents related to Non-Natural Humans. You'll report your work to me."
Zhu Ning: "......"
So the price of a powerful patron's protection was... another job?
Now she wasn't just a Cleaner collecting Contamination Spores—she was also an investigator for Huo Wenxi, and secretly moonlighting for Prometheus on the side.
At this rate, she'd die of overwork.
Huo Wenxi: "Before I formally assign you tasks, I need to understand your situation first."
That seemed fair. After all, Zhu Ning was suspicious from any outsider's perspective.
Huo Wenxi: "The metal-type Ability User Xuan Qing's been looking for—that's you?"
Zhu Ning: "Yes, but I don't know why."
Huo Wenxi frowned. Zhu Ning was an Ability User who should be officially registered. But given her current situation, it was best not to leave records. Huo Wenxi didn't press the point. "Eternal Pharma seems to be looking for you too. What did you do?"
Zhu Ning let out a casual "ah" and said breezily: "I accidentally caused a bit of trouble. Killed one of their experimental subjects. Their Professor Chu was hunting me for a while."
Huo Wenxi's frown deepened. She knew full well that "Professor Chu" was Chu Qing. Zhu Ning had crossed Chu Qing? And lived to tell about it?
Impressive.
"It should be fine now," Zhu Ning said, not wanting Huo Wenxi to worry. "They're only monitoring me. Even the surveillance has thinned out recently. No idea what spooked that Professor Chu."
Huo Wenxi: "......"
Zhu Ning spoke with the most nonchalant tone imaginable. How had she been raised? She was a walking disaster magnet.
"Handle your own messes carefully," Huo Wenxi said. "If the trouble you cause gets too big, I can always kill you first."
Zhu Ning: "Understood."
Zhu Ning's tone was so casual that Huo Wenxi frowned again. Had she been hunted so many times that she'd made peace with it?
Zhu Ning was always either courting death or on the road to courting death. Adding Huo Wenxi to the list barely registered.
Huo Wenxi: "Preliminary vetting complete. Come here."
Huo Wenxi stood and opened a door. Inside was an entire wall that served as a writeable surface, covered in dense handwriting and pinned photographs.
Zhu Ning had set up something like this before—useful for organizing thoughts.
Photos of both Zhu Ning and Xu Meng were on the wall. Huo Wenxi had been investigating Xu Meng too? When had she started suspecting her?
This mission had derailed the Investigation Team's progress. Many matters had to be shelved or handed off to other team members.
The wall was covered in leads. The Desolate Village, the rear mountains, the Giant Yellow Flower—three locations marked, with a few words written beside them: Non-Natural Humans.
But after those words was blank space. They simply didn't have enough data.
Huo Wenxi: "The Garrison Troops responded. They said Jiang Ping's mission footage was frequently degraded, but since they operate in the field year-round, this happens often. They attributed it to contamination interference causing video loss."
Huo Wenxi couldn't share her own intelligence with the Garrison Troops, so she hadn't probed further.
Huo Wenxi: "All other leads have gone cold. There's one more thread from Jiang Ping I haven't followed up on—he used to play games. There might be traces in-game, but the yield is probably low."
Zhu Ning nodded. Professionals should handle professional work. A worm living in human society would inevitably leave traces.
Huo Wenxi leaned against the wall. Her tall, slender figure was striking today in a full loose-fitting green suit, with that long braid hanging down her back. Leaning there, she looked like a willow tree.
Huo Wenxi looked at Zhu Ning: "I need more intelligence. The Maple Forest Squad's video is out—it's on the forum. Take a look."
The Maple Forest Squad's mission had been routine. To avoid arousing suspicion, their footage had been released through normal channels.
Zhu Ning: "Right now?"
Huo Wenxi: "Yes. I want to see your reaction."
Zhuang Lin brought over two chairs. Zhu Ning had no choice but to sit across from Huo Wenxi and open her Employee Wristband.
She noted with some admiration that Huo Wenxi's work was impeccable—there wasn't a single trace of discussion about Zhu Ning left in the system.
As far as other employees knew, they'd simply gone on a routine mission and returned normally, with the video happening to be corrupted by the Contamination Zone.
Since the video wasn't uploaded, nobody knew about the Giant Yellow Flower either.
The Maple Forest Squad's mission video was pinned at the top: "Latest Beyond-the-Wall Mission Footage! Exposing the Desolate Mountain Incident—Not for the Faint of Heart!"
Zhu Ning: "......"
The Sanitation Center's style was truly consistent—everything was clickbait?
She could feel Huo Wenxi's gaze on her as she opened the video.
Demon Hunter footage was extremely shaky. After editing, it looked like a first-person horror film.
The location was familiar to Zhu Ning—they'd collected Contamination Spores here before. That mutated yellow flower had been growing by the well.
But when Zhu Ning visited, there'd been nothing special besides a well. The Demon Hunters had entered a Contamination Zone, so the scene was richer—dim lighting, lush vegetation everywhere.
Through crackling static, a singing voice drifted in. The melody was strange—not modern music, but something archaic in tone.
Viscous and cold, like a cult's chant. Listening too long made your heart race—deeply unsettling.
This must have been the singing they'd mentioned hearing from the rear mountains.
"It's even weirder out here beyond the wall," she heard someone say.
"What is that singing? Anyone heard it before?"
"Don't listen too carefully—you might go mad."
Demon Hunters truly were more experienced than Cleaners—they could immediately identify what carried contamination. Zhu Ning always watched Demon Hunter videos with a learning mindset.
The squad advanced through the singing, crossing through the woods and past the well. The rear mountain area was far larger than what Zhu Ning had seen.
Deep in the mountains stood a mound built entirely of stacked stones. Blood-red wave patterns had been painted on the rocks, arranged with deliberate precision.
At the base, cloth-wrapped bundles were laid out like offerings.
At the summit, a bamboo pole stood in a cross-shaped frame. A black coat hung from it, swaying in the wind—from a distance it looked like a skeleton, or a figure dancing in the breeze.
"What's all this about?"
"Looks kind of like a ritual?"
"Hey, come look," someone said. "There's a hole here."
The camera swung around. Beneath the man-made stone mound was a narrow cave opening leading underground. Had the stone mound been built to conceal the entrance?
It looked like a tomb raider's tunnel.
Someone shone a flashlight inside. The cave dropped straight down, and the light couldn't reach the bottom—only a vague shadow was visible. "Looks like something's down there. Anyone brave enough to climb down and take a look? If it gets dangerous, I'll pull you out."
"Are you insane? Just use a drone."
Nobody wanted to crawl in. They had some detection equipment. Zhu Ning watched as someone produced a tiny bee-shaped camera.
Demon Hunters really did get the good gear—the equipment was on a completely different level.
The camera flew into the cave. The view switched to the drone's perspective as the little bee descended, surrounded by near-total darkness.
Suddenly the image lurched—the lens struck something solid. The operator slowly panned the camera, revealing a human face.
"Wh-what is that?"
The camera pulled back. A sculpture was hidden in the shadows, roughly 1.5 meters tall—some kind of Idol, though its exact form was hard to discern.
The Idol's eyes were closed, its lips curved in a faint smile—deeply eerie in the darkness.
But it didn't move or attack. It seemed to exist solely to frighten people.
"This village is full of creepy stuff. Come back up." Someone sounded disappointed. "Let's just brute-force it."
The Demon Hunters' brute-force approach was like violent demolition. Zhu Ning didn't watch the rest of the video—they completed the mission without major incident. Three injured, one critically.
Zhu Ning had been frowning the whole time. She hadn't absorbed anything from the later footage.
The Maple Forest Squad hadn't thought twice about the Idol—just another typical Contamination Zone object. Contamination Zones were full of things designed to mislead and distract Demon Hunters from the real Contamination Source.
But Zhu Ning had seen that Idol before. Identical to the one in the forsaken village. The first time she'd seen it, she'd already felt it was somewhat sinister.
Later, after finding other leads, she'd moved on. Seeing it a second time now felt completely different.
This was a form of recurring Psychic Contamination—repeated exposure deepened its imprint. Now it felt as though the Idol had crawled through the video and into her mind, branding itself there permanently.
Zhu Ning felt a stab of pain in her head, as if the parasite in her brain had contracted slightly.
She took a deep breath and suppressed her discomfort. "There's something wrong here."
Huo Wenxi had been watching her the entire time.
Zhu Ning rarely showed unguarded expressions. "I've seen it before. It was hidden in the forsaken village."
Huo Wenxi: "I thought so."
Huo Wenxi had watched this video too. Her intuition had told her the Idol was significant.
Where Zhu Ning needed firsthand experience, Huo Wenxi only needed intuition.
This was the anomaly appearing in both the Maple Forest Squad's and the Cleaners' footage. Two leads intersecting. With Zhu Ning's confirmation, Huo Wenxi pinned the Idol's photo to the blank wall.
Zhu Ning stared at the Idol on the wall. Her first encounter had been on the path to the rear mountains—she'd barely glanced at it before Xu Meng interrupted her.
She remembered few details about the Idol—only that it looked bizarre, vaguely human but with indeterminate gender, bulging eye sockets with eyeballs that seemed about to fall out.
Now, with the chance to study it longer, she noticed more. Its eyes weren't bulging at all—they were actually closed.
Eyes shut, yet wearing a smile. Bone-chilling.
The Idol's surface was covered in patterns—dense, raised tiny characters. Colorless. If the Idol had been carved, the text would be a form of inscription. Zhu Ning paused the video and zoomed in, but couldn't make out what it said.
Zhu Ning's helmet footage had only partially been lost. The early segment showing their first pass through the village had survived. Thanks to Zhu Ning's extra glances, that clip was crisp and clear. Huo Wenxi had extracted the Idol portion and pinned it to the wall.
Side by side, the two were clearly different—one with eyes open, one with eyes closed.
Why were the Idols' poses different? Because each Contamination Zone had a different theme? In the forsaken village, everyone was watching, so the Idol became part of the surveillance. What was the rear mountain's theme? Why was it smiling? The Idol seemed like a higher-order entity—highly adaptable, seamlessly integrated into every setting.
Huo Wenxi: "I asked a family elder. Apparently, it's some kind of Ancient God."
Before, Zhu Ning had never had anyone to help her. This was the first time she realized that having someone as capable as Huo Wenxi as a leader meant she barely had to think.
Huo Wenxi had consulted her family for verification. Was the Huo family some hereditary line of fortune-tellers?
Zhu Ning: "Ancient God? What's that?"
When did this veer into the occult?
This contaminated world wasn't exactly scientific to begin with, but this was blatantly unscientific.
Huo Wenxi stared at Zhu Ning without blinking—she'd expected some kind of tell, but Zhu Ning genuinely didn't know.
Zhu Ning wasn't concealing anything or lying.
Huo Wenxi: "There's very little data. I'm still verifying."
Zhu Ning couldn't tell if she truly hadn't found anything or was keeping it classified. "Do gods really exist in this world?"
She recalled that some people, after suffering Psychic Contamination, chose to pray to dark gods. Did dark gods actually answer?
Huo Wenxi: "People seek faith when they're at the end of their rope."
In this world, everyone was under immense pressure. People who broke down formed Contamination Zones. It was natural that people would turn to the supernatural for comfort.
But a so-called god could easily be just another Contaminant. Even that worm had fancied itself divine.
Who knew what this "Ancient God" actually was?
Zhu Ning asked: "What's your next move?"
Huo Wenxi: "I'll dispatch a small team, using this Idol as a lead, to investigate again."
This wasn't something Zhu Ning could solve alone. They truly needed a beyond-the-wall investigation team to relaunch the inquiry.
Zhu Ning had absolutely no objections. If she didn't have to do it herself, she wouldn't. No need to shorten her already brief lifespan any further.
Huo Wenxi gazed at the wall, lost in thought. "You can go home now. You need rest. Wait for my next instructions."
So Zhu Ning was just a tool. Huo Wenxi had used Zhu Ning's reactions to validate her own intuition. Had that just been a test?
Had she passed, then?
Zhu Ning stood up, still feeling uncomfortable. Two exposures to the Idol had compounded its effect—it really did feel burned into her mind.
At the door, she turned back. From this greater distance, she took in the entire wall. The historical events mapped on it seemed to be connecting.
The Transparent People at the Mechanical Oceanarium. The Xenomorph at The Ant Nest. The Idol beyond the wall. Huo Wenxi's earlier intuition had been right—she'd always felt that linking these events would reveal the full picture.
Huo Wenxi stood before the wall with her back to Zhu Ning, deep in thought.
Zhu Ning asked: "By the way—how's Xu Meng? Did you protect her too?"
Huo Wenxi's temple throbbed. She felt Zhu Ning was constantly testing her limits. She wasn't a professional mess-cleaner.
"You don't need to worry about her," Huo Wenxi said without turning around. "She has her own way of surviving in the Sanitation Center."
Zhu Ning: "Meaning?"
Why did these department heads never speak plainly?
Huo Wenxi: "Someone else is protecting her. Her identity is very special. I can't tell you more."
Zhu Ning gave a meaningful "oh." A very special identity indeed.
Huo Wenxi turned around and studied her quietly. "Whether Xu Meng has issues or not—you know better than I do."
Zhu Ning's heart lurched. Dealing with the "little oracle" was truly terrifying. Her intuition inspired genuine fear.
Huo Wenxi hadn't asked about many of Zhu Ning's suspicious points. That didn't mean she trusted Zhu Ning, nor that she'd let her suspicions go.
There were simply more important matters at hand. She'd set Zhu Ning down gently—for now.
......
Zhu Ning walked out the front doors of the Sanitation Center. Huo Wenxi hadn't put any tracking devices on her or sent anyone to follow.
But Zhu Ning didn't dare relax. She glanced back. The Sanitation Center's main building towered into the clouds. Huo Wenxi's workspace was up among them.
Was she looking down at her? Zhu Ning imagined an eye in the clouds watching her from above.
What came next was no longer Zhu Ning's concern. She just needed to wait for Huo Wenxi's next orders.
Zhu Ning opened her Sub-Brain. This time she'd earned 30 million NewCred. Last time, Xuan Qing had authorized a special twenty-fold bonus of 40 million.
This paycheck came from Huo Wenxi. Part of it might be hush money?
Two payouts totaling 70 million already. At this rate, hitting the 100-million milestone might not be a dream.
Where did the Sanitation Center's wealth come from?
Eternal Pharma was a monopoly pharmaceutical company controlling ninety percent of the Federation's healthcare. That was easy to understand—Zhu Ning's world had mega-corporations like that too.
Creation Technology had a constellation of tech subsidiaries. Gaming alone brought in enormous revenue, and they monopolized Consciousness Upload technology, with wealthy clients lining up to throw money at them.
But the Sanitation Center? How did they sustain such extravagant salaries?
The Sanitation Center appeared to be doing "good work"—solving contamination problems. The Public Security Bureau and Garrison Troops had to cooperate with them, calling on the Center whenever needed.
Did they have a monopoly on contamination-related matters?
Zhu Ning thought she knew someone who could answer that question.
She returned to the Noble Queen Shop. Between the mission and the observation period, four days had passed. Her sense of time was scrambled once again.
If her sanity weren't high enough, this kind of lifestyle would have driven anyone insane.
It was 3 PM. The Noble Queen Shop wasn't open yet—still in its closed-for-business state. Even the electronic strip-dancing host boys had clocked out.
Zhu Ning had subconsciously come to treat this Host Club as her own turf. She was about to head into the basement when she sensed something behind her. She frowned, then her expression softened.
A pair of arms wrapped around her from behind. A warm, slender body pressed against her back.
Zhu Ning's tense body relaxed instantly. "Long time no see, Xiaofeng."
The feeling was deeply comforting—as if someone would always be waiting at home for you, so you'd never have to face an empty house.
Someone would always come running to you.
Lin Xiaofeng was a Transparent Person, but right now her presence gave Zhu Ning a warmth that was profoundly human. Just a hug felt healing.
Zhu Ning was connected to humanity.
Lin Xiaofeng let go, a little embarrassed. "Are you tired?"
Zhu Ning shook her head. Turning around, she spotted a red hat floating in midair. "How could I be tired? I'm super awesome."
Lin Xiaofeng smiled a smile Zhu Ning couldn't see. She'd seen it firsthand—Zhu Ning was super awesome!
Lin Xiaofeng was incredibly well-behaved—almost excessively so. She didn't even ask where Zhu Ning had been.
Zhu Ning asked: "What have you been up to lately?"
She recalled giving Lin Xiaofeng permission to move about freely—she could venture out carefully.
But Lin Xiaofeng didn't seem to like going out. Her tone suddenly grew excited: "I've been learning to fight! Uncle Song's been helping me!"
Zhu Ning: "......"
Lin Xiaofeng had finally gotten her hands on Song Zhizhang. Who knew if Song Zhizhang's delicate frame had survived Lin Xiaofeng's monstrous strength.
Zhu Ning: "Where's Song Zhizhang?"
She happened to have a question for him.
Lin Xiaofeng: "Sleeping. I can take you to him."
Lin Xiaofeng was more familiar with Song Zhizhang by now. Truth be told, Zhu Ning didn't even know where he lived.
During Zhu Ning's absence, Lin Xiaofeng had explored every corner of the Noble Queen Shop. Song Zhizhang let her roam freely inside. If outsiders were present, Lin Xiaofeng went fully invisible. If not, she walked around wearing just a red hat.
The shop actually had eight floors. Song Zhizhang lived on the eighth.
Lin Xiaofeng led the way while Zhu Ning followed. Each floor had a different theme—without asking, Zhu Ning knew they were all designed for wealthy female clientele.
But the sixth floor and above seemed to be outside the business area. The sixth and seventh floors were completely empty—not even a chair.
Song Zhizhang lived on the eighth floor.
What did that mean? Was Song Zhizhang afraid something might happen to him, so he'd preemptively isolated himself? Even if something went wrong, the empty floors provided a buffer zone.
Zhu Ning arrived at the eighth floor. It was bright with sunlight and warm—a stark contrast to the dark basement.
Lin Xiaofeng said: "This is it."
She rang the doorbell. Zhu Ning and Lin Xiaofeng standing at someone's front door looked like trick-or-treaters on Halloween.
Less than a minute later, the door opened from inside. Song Zhizhang had apparently been sleeping and looked slightly groggy.
Zhu Ning raised an eyebrow when she saw him—he wasn't wearing his purple sweater today. Instead, he had on a black loungewear set.
The loungewear was long, made of satin, making his skin look very pale. Even the loungewear had a high collar, tightly wrapping his neck without showing a sliver of skin.
He looked like some celibate priest, or perhaps a vampire.
Zhu Ning was so used to seeing Song Zhizhang in the purple sweater that her aesthetic sense had nearly been corrupted. Now the change felt jarring.
Song Zhizhang froze briefly when he saw Zhu Ning, then averted his gaze with slight unease. "Why are you here?"
Zhu Ning's eyes traveled from his neck upward, suppressing the urge to rip his clothes off and see what was underneath.
That would be too violent.
Zhu Ning: "I have something to ask you."
Song Zhizhang frowned. Zhu Ning had something to ask him?
"Mind if I come in?" Zhu Ning asked.
Song Zhizhang hesitated a moment but couldn't find a suitable excuse. The more he tried to hide, the more suspicious it looked. He opened the door.
Zhu Ning was never one to stand on ceremony with him. This floor was an entire apartment. The decor was minimalist—wooden furnishings. Song Zhizhang lived in a place like this?
She'd expected him to live in some Barbie palace, given how he dressed like a doll.
Zhu Ning and Lin Xiaofeng settled onto the sofa. Zhu Ning lounged with perfect ease, as if this were her own home.
"What would you like to drink?" Song Zhizhang asked.
Zhu Ning: "Whatever."
Song Zhizhang brought two glasses of warm milk. Zhu Ning had probably just come off a mission—coffee or tea wouldn't be suitable. She should rest soon. Warm milk was just right.
Lin Xiaofeng cradled her milk, sipping it in tiny gulps like a kitten drinking.
Zhu Ning held her glass but didn't drink. She simply watched Song Zhizhang, as if her gaze could pierce through that high collar to the skin of his neck and touch his secrets directly.
Song Zhizhang felt ants crawling up his spine under her stare. "Should I go change first?"
It was rare to see him this flustered. He usually resembled an elegant little fox, grooming his fur with unhurried grace.
Now it was as if someone had peeled off a layer of fox skin, exposing the soft belly underneath. Gone was his usual composure. It made you want to tease him. Zhu Ning suddenly understood why wealthy women came to the Noble Queen Shop to unwind.
It really was stress-relieving.
Zhu Ning: "No need. I'll be quick."
Song Zhizhang leaned against the doorframe, composed his expression, and met Zhu Ning's gaze. "What did you want to ask me?"
Zhu Ning had just returned from a mission. The first thing she'd done after leaving the Sanitation Center was come to find Song Zhizhang. What could she possibly need from him?
Zhu Ning dropped the teasing and got straight to the point: "Are Contamination Spores an energy source?"
She'd actually been mulling this over for a while. Contamination Spores needed to be collected—one reason was to prevent secondary infection.
But there might be another reason: Contamination Spores were a form of energy.
That would explain how the Sanitation Center operated. Song Zhizhang handled the recovery of Contamination Spores from civilians. He could definitely answer this question.
Zhu Ning waited for his response.
Author's Note:
Bonus chapter for hitting 40,000 NutriStim! Combined into one chapter!
Sharing a small moment from today: I boiled a corn cob and forgot to eat it. It had been soaking in the pot since yesterday morning. When I opened the lid tonight, every single kernel had absorbed water and burst open, swelling to twice its original size—like a bloated corpse resting at the bottom of the pot...
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