Chapter 75: Apocalypse IF (Extra)

I might stay at the base tonight, Shi Qi said to Shang Sui on Christmas Day, don't wait up for me.

At the end of every year, TTOG held a party at the base.

This year had been exceptionally lucky; no one had died, and no one had been left disabled. To celebrate that everyone was still alive and well, Chu Tao had said early on that this year's party had to be lively—no one was leaving until they were drunk.

Shang Sui looked into Shi Qi's clear eyes, unable to guess for a moment if he was just there for the party or if he had other intentions.

Aside from missions, this was the first time Shi Qi would not be spending the night at home.

Ever since Jiang Yan had paid a high price for the painting, Shang Sui had felt a lingering unease. He had not deliberately hidden his identity, but he dared not bring it up either; if Shi Qi had the mind to, he could have guessed who he was.

On second thought, Shi Qi had never been interested in anything outside his own world. It was unlikely he would spend the effort to dig up information, nor would he have the patience to play along with any charade.

All right, Shang Sui said, relaxing with a smile, have fun.

Shi Qi gave a faint nod.

Almost as soon as he arrived at the base, the door was slammed open. Chu Tao and Qin Shuhe walked in carrying colorful takeout bags: We're late! Takeout, takeout!

No one at the base knew how to cook, so they had simply gone to a restaurant outside to order. Seeing everyone gathered together, Chu Tao was delighted: We just got back from the intel point, they'll send some wine over later.

The new boss at the intel point is actually pretty funny. He asked Little Peach Sister if she could help him get a painting by Ss. What kind of connections could Little Peach Sister have? Her biggest connection is right here— Qin Shuhe shifted his gaze to the person in the corner, You'd agree, right, God Qi?

Shi Qi, wearing a black baseball cap, looked up at the mention: Painting?

Lin Yan joked: You probably don't care, but your arch-nemesis is a painter on top of being a mercenary.

They were all familiar with Shi Qi and knew he didn't care about the rumors surrounding Ss, so they listened to Lin Yan's explanation with laughter.

His paintings are worth a fortune, and they have the power to make people dream, Lin Yan explained. Ss is a rare dual-ability user, and one of his abilities belongs to the psychic type. Imagine it: loved ones you can never see again, scenery that exists only in fantasy, regrets that are hard to let go of... as long as he paints it, all impossibilities can be realized in a dream. For many, his work has a fatal attraction.

Oh, Shi Qi said calmly, is that so.

Chu Tao couldn't help but ask: Aren't you surprised, Little Qi? I thought it was incredible when I first heard it!

Isn't he always like this? He doesn't care about anything. Lin Yan's tone shifted as he added with a wicked grin, Though he's been a bit different lately. Tell me, why didn't you bring your partner?

Qin Shuhe, who had been pouring wine, set his glass down on the table: I'm hurt, Shi Qi! Lin Yan is a brother, but I'm not? How could you hide it from me if you're seeing someone!

Chu Tao followed right after: Exactly! You don't know anything besides fighting and killing; you have to let us vet your partner for you! What if you get tricked by some weirdo??

Caught between the two of them, Shi Qi said with a headache: It's not official yet.

Qin Shuhe and Chu Tao kept pressing him for details about him and Shang Sui. Shi Qi gave a brief account of how they met. Chu Tao's eyes went dark: You mean... you're still supporting him?

Shi Qi corrected her: I'm buying his paintings, not supporting him.

Qin Shuhe sneered: Are his paintings worth that much? He's not Ss, is he?

Shi Qi fell silent.

Alright, alright, don't make such a big deal out of it. It's a matter of mutual consent.

Lin Yan looked at Shi Qi as he spoke; like the others, Shi Qi had been drinking during the conversation without realizing it.

Seeing him propping his head up with one hand, silent, Lin Yan leaned in and whispered: What is it, baby? Are you unhappy?

Unlike the image of the God of Slaughter that circulated outside, Shi Qi was unexpectedly simple in some respects, his romantic history as blank as a sheet of paper.

They just don't understand, and they're worried you'll be deceived. Besides, I think Shang Sui treats you quite well; he doesn't seem to have ulterior motives.

Lin Yan had visited Shi Qi's home once, but Shang Sui had been out. He hadn't met the man, but he had seen the cat doll Shang Sui had made.

That doll, which looked so much like Shi Qi, had amused Lin Yan for a long time. Given Shi Qi's personality, finding an Alpha who was gentle, considerate, and willing to make everything beautiful for him didn't seem like a bad thing.

Shi Qi shook his head: No, I was just thinking...

Lin Yan wanted to hear what he had to say, but his head felt light from the alcohol, and he could only make out a few words.

Strange.

Lin Yan thought.

Who was the person Shi Qi was talking about? Shang Sui?

If everyone has a wish, what would he paint for himself?

-

The howling wind and snow outside the base gradually died down. Through the fog-covered windows, the neatly trimmed holly looked like white buttercream cakes.

Chu Tao was dizzy from drinking, and not far away, Shi Qi was a bit tipsy too. His gaze was unfocused, but brilliant pale gold sparks rhythmically emerged from his fingertips, like stars falling into his palm.

Chu Tao couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration that he could control his ability so well in this state.

Just as she was about to ask how Shi Qi was doing and if he needed to rest, the base doorbell rang.

Who's that, this late at night?

Chu Tao pulled open the base door, her gaze freezing instantly.

People joked that TTOG selected members based on looks, and even though she was used to seeing handsome men and beautiful women, the Alpha outside still made her eyes light up.

Hello, the stranger Alpha said, I'm looking for Shi Qi.

Chu Tao sobered up completely.

So this is... the fox spirit Shi Qi picked up?

She looked Shang Sui over with a critical eye, and had to admit one fact.

Judging by looks alone, this man was a perfect match for Shi Qi.

Come in. Little Qi is a bit drunk.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, Shi Qi lazily raised his head. The sparks rhythmically dancing on his fingertips extinguished abnormally, only to light up again a second later.

Why are you here? (Hadn't he said there was no need to wait?)

It's boring to be home alone. Seeing the others' gazes gathering toward them, Shang Sui asked, Am I disturbing you?

Qin Shuhe lowered his voice: Why is this guy talking so coyly? Does he not know if he's disturbing us or not?

Shang Sui's gaze moved from the cluster of tiny sparks to Shi Qi's face: May I sit beside you?

Shi Qi thought for a moment and voluntarily extinguished his ability: No need.

Qin Shuhe: I told you my brother wouldn't be swayed by a few sweet words. His heart is as cold and ruthless as an extinguished spark—

Shi Qi stood up: Let's go, time to head back.

Qin Shuhe: ?

Lin Yan let out a snort of laughter. Chu Tao, who had been silent, suddenly said: Wait, your name is Shang Sui?

If anything happens to Little Qi while he's with you, TTOG will hunt you to the ends of the earth.

Chu Tao said it with such gravity that the room fell into silence.

Lin Yan came to his senses and immediately smiled to smooth things over: Our boss is drunk, don't mind her.

But Shang Sui said at that moment: I understand.

Chu Tao frowned slightly, as if she wanted to say more, but Shi Qi had already pulled Shang Sui toward the door: We're leaving then, bye everyone.

Watching the base door close, Qin Shuhe scratched his head: Why did you suddenly make a threat like that? It made the atmosphere so weirdly serious.

Chu Tao hesitated for a moment: Maybe I'm overthinking it.

It was snowing when Shang Sui arrived. He hadn't carried an umbrella, yet there wasn't a single snowflake on him.

Did he just walk along the shelter? Did he toss the umbrella before knocking? Or was it that...

He had a special method, one that allowed him to transcend nature.

-

Once they left the warm interior, the biting air of the snowy night rushed to meet them.

Shi Qi gradually sobered up from his tipsy state, his fair cheeks flushed with a faint red, his hand still tightly gripping Shang Sui's wrist.

Noticing his small movements, Shang Sui's eyes curved: I prepared a Christmas gift for you.

Shi Qi looked at him in surprise.

I put them in different boxes and piled them under the Christmas tree at home. You can unwrap them all at once.

Shang Sui hadn't mentioned this at all before. Given his personality, he had likely chosen the boxes and ribbons with great care.

Shi Qi was silent for a moment: You went through all this trouble to find me just because you were bored?

I originally wanted to spend Christmas with you, but being with friends is important too.

Before he could issue an invitation, Shi Qi had already said he was going to the base party.

He had considered it for a long time and decided to try his luck during the second half of the party. If Shi Qi wanted to stay at the base, he would just act like it never happened and find another suitable opportunity to give the gift.

Coming to find you wasn't because I was bored, Shang Sui said softly, I missed you.

...

Shi Qi stopped abruptly, as if he had reached his limit of endurance.

Shang Sui, he let go of the hand he had been holding, when do you plan on confessing to me?

The Alpha was frozen in place by the words, a look of astonishment appearing on his face, which was usually so composed.

It was the first time Shi Qi had seen Shang Sui like this, and a trace of satisfaction welled up in his heart.

Should I be honored? Such a powerful ability user, hiding his identity to stay by my side.

Going by his personality, he should have called it out directly the moment he sensed something was wrong, yet he had turned a blind eye, refusing to break the status quo.

Even though rumors said he and Ss were at odds, Shang Sui approached him like nothing was wrong, treating him with such meticulous care—it was almost as if... he was head-over-heels for him.

Or perhaps it was just a hypocritical trap.

Shi Qi gathered a myriad of starlike light points in his palm, his voice suddenly turning cold: If you are playing games with me, I really will break your hands and legs.

Shang Sui knew these seemingly light points could pierce the skull of a zombie a thousand meters away, and he sensed the terrifying power contained within. He watched him intently, his attention completely captured.

The streets were filled with colorful decorations. The crystal-clear snowflakes in the display windows, the rose-gold Christmas baubles, the strings of lights wrapped around the branches, and the berry wreaths adorned with ribbons and gold dust all shimmered brilliantly.

Yet none were as beautiful as Shi Qi's ability, nor as fitting for a romantic celebration.

If I have ulterior motives, would Little Qi throw me away? Shang Sui added softly, after breaking my hands and legs.

In your dreams, Shi Qi said expressionlessly, I'm going to abuse you.

Shang Sui widened his eyes slightly, watching Shi Qi throw a tantrum with great wonder.

Even like this, Shi Qi wouldn't throw him away?

This was truly...

I'm going to lock you up and only give you food when I'm in a good mood.

Uncontrollable joy filled his heart little by little. What Shi Qi saw as a vicious punishment was, to him, a reward he had dreamed of.

Let me take you somewhere, Shang Sui said, holding his palm upward to invite Shi Qi, if you are willing, take my hand.

Information regarding Ss was mostly vague. Compared to other ability users, the places he walked were unusually clean; corpses vanished into thin air, and not even bone fragments or flesh remained.

Only once, while on a mission in an abandoned mining area, the situation was too dangerous for him to clean the scene, and the infected in that area were all brutally crushed into blood plasma. Based on this, most people guessed that Ss's other ability had to do with space.

The moment his hands overlapped with Shang Sui's, it felt as if invisible shackles were wrapped around his legs. Shi Qi couldn't move, and a powerful force dragged him into a sudden descent—

By the time he regained consciousness, pitch-black darkness sealed off all his senses. Shi Qi quickly realized he had been brought into an unfamiliar space.

He flexed his fingers, reflecting for once on whether he had been too impulsive.

Stepping so casually into a space dominated by another, he was now completely at the mercy of others.

A beam of light descended from above. Shi Qi quickly stepped back, a small cluster of sparks appearing in his palm as a reflex.

So vigilant.

Someone chuckled behind him. Before Shi Qi could feel annoyed, Shang Sui gestured for him to look ahead: Do you remember? You went to the South three years ago.

The waterfall-like light sources combined into a magnificent stage, and the large painting in the center was like a dancer performing on it.

The entire painting used the deep night as a backdrop, with a myriad of radiance falling from the high heavens. Trails like fireworks surged and shifted in the clouds, reminiscent of undying stars burning after a great explosion.

Shi Qi's gaze froze involuntarily.

There was no doubt about it; this was his ability.

And it was a scene that could only appear if he exerted his full strength—at that point, his power would cover several cities, enough to traverse half the world.

That was the first time I saw you.

To be precise, it was his spirit body that had seen Shi Qi.

"Xiao Qi, how did a butterfly get on your shoulder?" Chu Tao asked, full of wonder. The butterfly on Shi Qi's shoulder was so beautiful it was almost eerie—white wings covered in delicate black patterns, long tail filaments naturally drooping, antennae nearly transparent.

Chu Tao had never seen such a creature in nature. She guessed, "This must be someone's spirit body, right?"

"I don't know. It's been following me all afternoon."

Chu Tao paused, then her expression turned serious. "It probably came from very far away and got lost."

The butterfly suddenly flapped its wings. Just as Shi Qi thought it was about to leave, it danced lightly in a circle and tentatively landed on her fingertip.

"Should I send it back?"

She usually didn't bother with things that weren't her business, but this butterfly was too fragile and beautiful.

Chu Tao was silent for a long time. Just as Shi Qi was about to ask again, Chu Tao sighed softly. "I don't think you need to."

"Its owner... is about to die."

Psychic-type ability users were rare and had short lifespans. Their brains were like machines that never stopped running, and the overwhelming burden was too much for most to bear.

They all had their own spirit bodies, extensions of their very selves. There was only one circumstance in which a spirit body would stay far from its owner for a long time—when the ability user was on the verge of death, weakened to the limit.

Shi Qi was quiet for a moment. "Can it see?"

"Spirit bodies have no independent consciousness; they act purely on instinct. If you mean the owner of this butterfly, maybe they can see fragmented images through it."

Shi Qi seemed thoughtful. "Little Peach Sister, I'll be back later."

"We still have to travel tomorrow. Don't be too late."

Shi Qi agreed, and seeing the butterfly gracefully follow her steps, she couldn't help but smile.

She didn't know what to do, but she felt that if there was someone in some corner of the world who was really about to die, that person's spirit body shouldn't be left to end its days in a mediocre, closed-off little inn.

"I'll take you to see the fireworks." Shi Qi suddenly remembered Lin Yan mentioning that at nine o'clock tonight, there would be a small fireworks show by the riverbank nearby. "It's almost time."

By the time Shi Qi arrived, the riverbanks and the bridge crossing the river were densely packed with people.

Opportunities like this were rare in the apocalypse, and everyone was looking forward to it. Shi Qi didn't want to crowd with the others, so she simply climbed up to the main tower of the bridge and stood alone at the highest point on the tower crown.

The butterfly followed closely beside her. Shi Qi found it amusing at first, but gradually she noticed something was wrong.

The thick black patterns on the butterfly's wings had somehow turned into a diluted ink color, and the frequency of its wingbeats had slowed. Finally, as if losing all its strength, it listlessly landed on Shi Qi's shoulder.

Just as Chu Tao had said, this butterfly was gradually becoming transparent, about to disappear.

Even though it was the first time she had seen it, Shi Qi felt an uncontrollable sadness. She reached out and gently touched its soft antennae.

When it rains, it pours. The fireworks scheduled for nine o'clock were delayed, and the distant crowd below buzzed with discussion:

"It seems there's been a bit of an accident. Tonight's fireworks show is going to be canceled temporarily."

"Canceled? I've been waiting so long!"

Complaints kept rising from the crowd, and the atmosphere turned heavy with disappointment. The little butterfly quietly stayed by Shi Qi's side, spending the last moments of its life watching her.

Shi Qi suddenly said, "Since that's the case, I'll set off fireworks for you."

She carefully placed the fading spirit body in a high spot, stepped back, and gathered countless star-like points of light in her palm.

Shi Qi's eyes were especially bright. Before this impromptu performance began, she said in a tone like an unveiling:

"Watch closely, little butterfly. Opportunities like this are rare."

The moment the words fell, Shi Qi leaped down from the highest point!

Tens of thousands of rays of light shot into the sky at once, and the world briefly turned black and white.

The next second, a violent flash blazed across the long night, the light illuminating the water's surface with a power that seemed capable of judging everything. If anyone witnessed this incredible sight, their first reaction wouldn't be to admire its stunning beauty, but to feel an awe from the depths of their heart that made it impossible to look directly.

As the light spread like a tide to the edge of sight, the oppressive night sky became dreamlike and hazy, like a dream woven from gold.

People gradually came to their senses: "What is that? So beautiful! Is it a new type of firework?"

"Of course it can't be fireworks! Haven't you noticed? The entire Southern Base is covered!"

"I've never seen anything so beautiful. It's like a miracle!"

The people's exclamations were drowned out by the wind. In Shi Qi's ears, only the hollow echo remained.

To avoid hurting that fragile spirit body, she had to jump from the highest point. To her surprise, the fading butterfly used its last bit of strength to flap its wings and fall with her.

"My ability can traverse half the world. I hope you can see this sky with your own eyes." Before it completely disappeared, Shi Qi raised her voice—

"If you can, live!"

Live.

Shang Sui looked up. Brilliant golden flames stretched across the sky from the horizon.

He was covered in blood, a fatal wound barely a hair's breadth from piercing his heart. In a critical moment, he used space to isolate countless pursuing infected, buying himself a brief moment to catch his breath.

A few days earlier, a special-grade infected had appeared in an abandoned mining area. Shang Sui took on the cleanup mission, but the Southern Base had misjudged the situation, vastly underestimating the difficulty of this operation.

The collapsed mine shaft had been sealed since the last century. Countless infected had been killing each other inside like a cauldron of refining poison. The hundreds of surviving special-grade infected had not only gained abilities but a few even had independent thought.

In the battle, he lost control due to severe injuries, and his spirit body had gone missing.

Compared to the physical wounds, the pain in his brain was even more terrifying, as if thousands of sharp instruments were piercing through his skull again and again. It once reminded Shang Sui of a psychic-type ability user he had seen lose control. That person had let out a scream of extreme agony before his head exploded without warning, blood and flesh splattering onto his face.

From that day on, he had no fondness for his second ability.

He thought he would die here, but through his missing spirit body, he saw a sight he would never forget.

So beautiful.

Both the sky and the person who created it were so beautiful they made one want to cry.

The sharp, agonizing pain in his brain stopped without him noticing. The ability that had brought him so much suffering reversed like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, becoming an unprecedented powerful aid.

A new, surging power continuously filled his limbs and bones. He could sense the starving infected a kilometer away urgently tracking his trail. Every whisper of wind in his ears was clearly discernible, as if the world's fabric was laid out before his eyes.

Shang Sui reached out, and the vanished butterfly reappeared intact on his fingertip.

If I live, can I see him?

What did his companions call him?

"Xiao Qi"...?

That seemed right, didn't it.

"The owner of that butterfly is you."

Shi Qi finally pieced everything together. The dense crowd under the bridge in the painting was so distant; this angle of the scenery had only been seen by that spirit body and her. "Why didn't you—" come see me directly?

She quickly realized.

Ss had eliminated over a hundred special-grade infected in the abandoned mine in one go. People had started frequently comparing them. She had casually asked about the other person's information, and afterward, rumors spread that she and Ss were at odds.

For the first time, Shi Qi regretted never thinking to explain. "That was just a rumor! I don't hate you."

"I'm very glad."

Even though she had had some premonitions during their time together, hearing Shi Qi say it herself felt different.

Shi Qi was also infected by Shang Sui's emotions. The butterfly that had been on her mind all this time actually belonged to Shang Sui—it felt like some kind of wonderful fate.

She asked curiously, "So what happened to your spirit body afterward?"

"It's fine. But I didn't come to bother you just because of the rumors."

Facing Shi Qi's bewildered expression, Shang Sui asked a strange question: "If someone has been secretly coveting you, harboring fantasies they shouldn't have, what would you do?"

Accompanied by his seemingly gentle voice, hundreds of paintings emerged one by one, like a massive art installation carrying the creator's endless longing, filling Shi Qi's entire field of vision.

The subject of every painting was the same person.

Platinum-blonde hair, cat-like eyes, long and curled lashes, delicate skin—in the painter's hand, she was like a sparkling angel.

Shi Qi stood frozen.

The impact of the vivid paintings was too strong. She instinctively stepped back, but happened to bump into someone else.

"'From today on, I'm yours.'" Shang Sui locked his hands on Shi Qi's shoulders and leaned close to her ear. "When I said that to you, I was reciting it in my heart."

"'In exchange, you have to become mine too.'"

Relying on his psychic-type ability, Shang Sui's paintings could make any wish come true in dreams.

"From the day you saved me, I've been watching you dream on my own, my head full of messy fantasies."

As if the shock he had given Shi Qi wasn't enough, Shang Sui gestured for her to look at a certain spot. In the painting, the platinum-blonde angel was only palm-sized, imprisoned in a beveled glass jewelry box, surrounded by glittering pearls and gems.

A pair of hands lovingly lifted the jewelry box, trapping the tiny angel in their grasp.

Shi Qi unconsciously pressed her lips together.

"Ah, yes, and this one too," Shang Sui said with interest in his tone. "Look next to it."

The person in the painting wore a pink gauze dress, the thin fabric tied into a large double-layered bow on their bare back. They knelt on the bed, surrounded by soft cat plushies, exactly like the little dolls Shang Sui had once made for her.

The cats had richer colors and expressions, snuggling affectionately around them.

"Cute, right? Like a princess from a fairy tale."

If you ignored the Chain around the 'princess's' ankle, it really was a dreamy fairy tale.

"Dreaming became my favorite thing. I could see you every night." Shang Sui laughed as he spoke. "Pretty twisted, isn't it?"

Everything before her was too overwhelming. In her panic, Shi Qi pointed at a seemingly normal painting. "What's this one?"

In the painting, she and Shang Sui sat together under a Christmas tree piled with gifts, both smiling, looking very warm.

If she hadn't exposed Shang Sui's identity, they would probably be unwrapping gifts like this now, and Shang Sui would keep trying to win her over as if nothing was wrong.

"This one?" Shang Sui said instead, "It's a horror story."

"..."

"If you hated me and didn't want to see me again, I would make you forget everything, trick you into thinking we grew up together, that you're my little fiancée."

He let go of the hand that had been resting on Shi Qi's shoulder, like a prophecy of what was about to happen. "We'll live happily ever after, baby."

Shi Qi turned around and met a pair of eyes as deep and sick as a whirlpool.

In theory, she could forcibly break through someone else's alternate space, but that was only in theory. She couldn't determine the upper limit of Shang Sui's ability.

He also had a second ability. Shi Qi had never fought a psychic-type ability user before, and she wasn't confident she could escape from here.

Seeing her long silence, Shang Sui said, "Scared?"

"Scared," Shi Qi said in a voice that betrayed no emotion. "You really are a madman."

Shang Sui's eyes flickered. After a moment, only a bottomless stillness remained.

Of course Shi Qi would hate him. What was he even hoping for?

He had thought about hiding his dark, thick desires forever, but he knew they would be found out eventually. Few people could accept such feelings, and besides, Shi Qi was so good—she deserved a more normal relationship, a truly gentle and considerate partner.

Shi Qi continued, "I don't want to stay here anymore."

Just as expected, Shi Qi would leave, turning back into an unreachable star.

Then lock her up.

Lock her up lock her up lock her up lock her up lock her up...

A despicable voice kept screaming in the depths of his heart. Shang Sui struggled to control himself and said as gently as possible, "Sorry. If you find it disgusting, I'll burn all these paintings."

Shi Qi stared at him for a long time, then suddenly said:

"The sky you painted is beautiful."

"...Huh?"

"Want to see it again?"

A powerful space-type ability user could travel freely between regions. Even the distant south shouldn't be difficult for Shang Sui.

Realizing what this sentence might mean, he stared blankly at Shi Qi, then nodded after a moment.

"What you really wanted to say, besides those..." Shi Qi paused for a moment, not knowing how to describe it. "...all kinds of fantasies, was there something else?"

"Only talking about your bad side when confessing isn't a good approach. Not that I think it's bad, anyway."

"Didn't I say? If you were just messing with me, I'd break your hands and legs. If we're really counting, we're about even."

Now it seemed Shang Sui wasn't just head-over-heels in love with her—he was completely insane.

Thinking of this, Shi Qi's cat-like eyes curved adorably. "Take me to that bridge? That shining night sky—I want to show it to you again."

"The things you really want to say, tell me completely under the night sky."