Chapter 22: Art Gallery

Chapter 22

"Why?"

Shen Wang was never one to keep his thoughts to himself. If he had a question, he'd get to the bottom of it.

So he gripped Zhou Xiangzhe's wrist tightly, leaning in close to the side of his neck without backing off, taking advantage of the fact that Zhou couldn't see and had no idea that the current Shen Wang was far from the 'parasitized by blood thorns' victim he imagined.

"Why would someone with a high Contamination Level think you're a contaminant?"

Shen Wang sniffed the increasingly strong scent on him. This didn't feel like just a matter of 'thinking' at all.

He'd had an episode. At the worst possible time. Because he'd never been on guard against Zhou Xiangzhe—who would worry about humanity's guardian harming them? So Shen Wang had fallen for it, suffering an episode right here and now, all Zhou Xiangzhe's fault.

"Just saying that one line isn't going to convince me."

Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a few seconds, as if considering something. Just as Shen Wang was starting to get annoyed, he finally spoke.

He said, "Because my talent is Devour."

This was the first time Shen Wang had learned Zhou Xiangzhe's talent.

Zhou Xiangzhe's file was top-secret, only accessible at a certain clearance level—a very high one. In other words: the Anti-Pollution Center deemed this something that needed to be kept confidential.

Devour? Shen Wang had never even seen that name on the talent list.

"Devour only targets contamination. It's an ability to swallow and digest contamination." Zhou Xiangzhe said, "You can think of it as me being able to swallow contamination of a lower level than me."

Shen Wang looked at him strangely. "If you have a talent like that, then why are you still affected here?"

"Because this talent has lost its original function." Zhou Xiangzhe answered him flatly.

Three years ago, Yutang South City experienced the most terrifying contaminant incident in history.

Namely: the city-wide contamination incident of the Level S Pollutant, the Deer God.

After the apocalypse, China established five High Walls. Inside the walls were the surviving humans. The five High Walls were named Cangqing East City, Chenmo West City, Yutang South City, Hantian North City, and Central City.

Because of the need for psychological comfort, a new sect emerged in Yutang South City after the apocalypse.

The sect worshipped the Deer God, revered nature, believed the apocalyptic contamination was due to humanity's disrespect for nature, and developed rapidly.

At first, the Anti-Pollution Center didn't pay it much mind. There were many new faiths after the apocalypse, most born from inexplicable disasters attributed to divine punishment. As long as they didn't do anything extra to become a cult, they wouldn't intervene.

They never expected that this hands-off approach would allow a massive disaster to grow.

The Level S Pollutant, the Deer God, was contaminated by faith. After its birth, it continued to contaminate others through that faith.

That day was the Deer God's birth. That day was also Yutang South City's disaster. Overnight, the entire city was contaminated. They became fanatical, devout believers of the Deer God, worshipping it as their master. The contamination spread too quickly to handle.

So Zhou Xiangzhe was given the critical mission and took on the task.

To protect the controlled city's population, Zhou Xiangzhe abandoned a head-on clash with the Deer God. He used the most dangerous method.

Using his talent, Devour, to completely swallow the Level S Pollutant, the Deer God, which was on par with his own level.

Zhou Xiangzhe succeeded. He successfully devoured the Deer God, saving an entire southern city's people, but paid an extremely high price.

"I couldn't digest this contaminant."

Zhou Xiangzhe said, "The moment I swallowed it, my Contamination Level skyrocketed to 90%. Wearing a Contamination Inhibitor suppresses it to 80%. My appearance also changed because of it. That's a sign I myself was contaminated."

"Because I can't digest it, my talent also lost its original function. I can't devour another contamination."

"That's why you think I'm a contaminant. You're just sensing the Deer God inside my body."

Zhou Xiangzhe seemed to be looking at Shen Wang. His pupils reflected Shen Wang's figure, but Shen Wang knew he couldn't see.

Silver hair, golden eyes, the Contamination Inhibitor on his finger, and the increasingly strong scent of temple incense on him… Shen Wang finally understood why Zhou Xiangzhe was called Central City's guardian god. He finally understood why the Anti-Pollution Center dared to let him roam outside even knowing his Contamination Level exceeded 80%.

Because this cold-looking guy was actually a self-sacrificing saint.

He even thought: once Zhou Xiangzhe realized his Contamination Level was about to exceed limits, he'd definitely end himself cleanly.

Someone with Shen Wang's personality would definitely think Zhou Xiangzhe was really stupid, had a screw loose, sacrificing himself to save others.

But, Shen Wang also had a friend like that.

Little Qi from the Starlight Orphanage was the best kid Shen Wang had ever met, the most inseparable part of his childhood, Shen Wang's entire definition of a 'good person'.

He absolutely couldn't speak harshly to someone like that.

"You saved a lot of people." Shen Wang finally said, "Eliminating a Level S Pollutant and still standing here fine, you really are Zhou Xiangzhe."

Zhou Xiangzhe reached out. He felt his way up Shen Wang's arm, inch by inch since he couldn't see.

He was searching for the parasitic thorns on Shen Wang's body.

Shen Wang silently retracted the thorns on his body. His pupils turned black again. The thorns in the hospital corridor also vanished at his will, and the entire hospital returned to its original dead silence.

"I'm fine now." Shen Wang said.

Zhou Xiangzhe didn't believe him. He kept searching for any possible parasitic thorns.

So Shen Wang let him confirm every inch of his body. Only then did Zhou Xiangzhe believe there were no parasites on him.

"They're gone."

"Yeah, gone." Shen Wang answered him, "Probably because of my talent. The parasitic contaminant of the blood thorns isn't high-level, and it's within my talent's influence range, so it fled from my body."

Thank you, Anti-Pollution Center, for the perfect excuse!

Now, as a Level C Anomaly, he could use this talent as an excuse. Later, when he became Level B or A, it'd be even more convincing!

Zhou Xiangzhe slowly let out a sigh of relief. He reached out and hugged Shen Wang, like comrades embracing after surviving a disaster. Well, that was Shen Wang's own interpretation.

The rich scent emanated from Zhou Xiangzhe. Shen Wang was inches from Zhou Xiangzhe's exposed skin. He even felt he could hear the blood flowing in Zhou Xiangzhe's veins.

This is bad.

"Really okay?" Zhou Xiangzhe released the hug and asked him again.

"Okay." Shen Wang answered seriously, then secretly swallowed.

Still so hungry. But no, can't eat Zhou Xiangzhe.

Shen Wang tried to stand up, but due to the episode, he couldn't stand steadily. His legs went weak and he nearly fell, but Zhou Xiangzhe caught him, hearing the sound.

"Let's not separate." Zhou Xiangzhe sighed, "Stay in one place, look out for each other."

One blind, one having an episode… that was the only option.

Shen Wang really wanted to refuse. He felt like if he got hungry enough, he'd be unable to resist taking a bite out of Zhou Xiangzhe.

"By the way." Shen Wang remembered something, thinking it might get Zhou Xiangzhe away from him temporarily, "I received a communication from Baihe earlier, didn't have time to tell you."

Sure enough, Zhou Xiangzhe looked up. "What did she say?"

"Baihe can empathize with contaminants. In this situation, it's easier to explore the Rule. We need to get out of here quickly."

Shen Wang relayed what Baihe had told him.

"Bringing Paintings To Life? Passing through paintings in an artistic form?" Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a moment before commenting, "That phrasing is certainly artistic."

Completely incomprehensible gibberish. After empathizing with Hundred Eyes, Baihe had become gibberish too.

"I think we need to determine the theme of this painting first." Eager to get rid of Zhou Xiangzhe, Shen Wang made a random suggestion, "Determine what's painted in it, confirm every detail, then judge the painting's theme, find a way through this painting. Should we split up to confirm?"

Zhou Xiangzhe was puzzled. "Why split up?"

"Because I can see and you can't. Blindness should have a special setting here. We can compare what we determine together, easier to find differences."

Zhou Xiangzhe seemed convinced, but after a few seconds of silence, he immediately found a rebuttal.

"If it's just finding differences, we can do that together too."

"That's not a special point requiring separate action."

Shen Wang: …Why is this guy so stubborn?

In the end, he couldn't get rid of Zhou Xiangzhe, because Zhou Xiangzhe believed separating now was highly irrational. If they stayed in the ward, they stayed together. If they went out, they went out together.

Shen Wang sat expressionlessly on the hospital bed, chin in hand, looking at the ward door. Zhou Xiangzhe sat on a small stool not far away. An adult sitting on it looked a bit pitiful, but he didn't mind, just kept his head down, silver hair hanging limply.

Actually, compared to Shen Wang, Zhou Xiangzhe's current appearance seemed more fragile. White hair and golden eyes gave him an inhuman beauty, and once that beauty was marred by a flaw, it became even more captivating.

Coincidentally, Zhou Xiangzhe couldn't see now, so he presented a great sense of being broken.

But he was Zhou Xiangzhe. Even blind, few dared to give him a bad look.

Shen Wang mentally clicked his tongue and turned his head back.

When you're hungry to the extreme, you stop feeling hungry. It's like hunger numbness.

That was Shen Wang's current state. After being hungry enough to feel nauseous, he gradually calmed down, became composed.

If I can eat, I eat. If not, forget it. I've endured plenty before.

The more he thought, the worse his mood got. Through the small window in the ward, he saw the corridor scene. The painting composed of chaotic black lines on the wall became clearer, more like them. The decorative eyeballs beside the painting kept meeting Shen Wang's gaze, like an unceasing surveillance camera.

Shen Wang thought resentfully: That eyeball is so ugly.

Just then, knock, knock. The ward door was knocked on.

"Rounds."

It was the doctor who had chased them out of the neighboring room earlier.

The doctor contaminant in a white coat creaked the door open. The moment he entered, he stared at Zhou Xiangzhe first.

"What are you doing? I said the hospital has Rules! Every patient must return to their own ward! Who allowed you to visit?"

Zhou Xiangzhe, Central City's guardian god whom no one dared speak harshly to: …

"Get back to your ward!"

Shen Wang, taking advantage of Zhou Xiangzhe's blindness, gave this suicidal doctor contaminant a thumbs-up.

Zhou Xiangzhe stood up. He looked extremely calm, not seeming angry at all. He even asked in a tone that could be called composed, "Doctor, after finishing rounds here, will you go to my ward for rounds?"

"Who allowed you to ask about a doctor's privacy! To be hospitalized here, you must listen to the doctor! I say go, I go! I say don't go, I don't go!"

"This is the best Eye Hospital! Everyone who's blind in this hospital can regain their sight, including you!"

"If you want to see again, you must listen to me!"

Eye Hospital. Can make all blind people regain sight. Blindness…

The two present instantly understood the reason for the blindness inside.

Shen Wang raised an eyebrow slightly. After glancing at what the doctor held, he reminded Zhou Xiangzhe, "He's holding two medical records. He'll probably go soon."

"Quiet!" The doctor glared viciously at Shen Wang, "I didn't allow you to speak!"

Zhou Xiangzhe nodded. Facing the doctor, he said a sentence with no overt threat, but the threat practically overflowed.

He said, "I'll wait for the doctor to come to my ward for rounds."

Shen Wang mentally added the voiceover for him: After rounds, I'll show you what happens when you provoke a Level S Anomaly.

But anyway, Zhou Xiangzhe left. The ward now only held Shen Wang and this uninvited doctor contaminant.

The doctor opened the medical record book in his hand. He pretended to read it, but his eyes kept sneaking glances at Shen Wang.

Finally, he asked, "What's wrong with your eyes?"

Shen Wang smiled, "If I knew what was wrong with my eyes, why would I come to this hospital to be hospitalized?"

"I think your eyes are fine." The doctor closed the record book, "Very beautiful eyes, like they're alive. I've never seen such beautiful eyes. Black eyes like deep gems, no, more dazzling than gems! No one could dislike such eyes!"

The doctor looked at Shen Wang's eyes almost obsessively.

Finally, as if coming to his senses, he coughed, "Anyway, your surgery is scheduled for 2 p.m. Half an hour left. Wait for me in the ward."

"Such beautiful eyes mustn't be ruined. We'll do our utmost to preserve them!"

Shen Wang revealed a half-smile, mockery deep in his eyes.

"Then I really must thank the doctor."

Surgery? More like an eye removal surgery, I bet.

/

Zhou Xiangzhe didn't kill this contaminant. Their understanding of this place was too little. Breaking the established environment too early wasn't good.

Of course, the existence of the blood thorns was completely ignored by Zhou Xiangzhe.

The doctor left, holding the medical records, head held high. Shen Wang stood at the ward door. At this moment, Zhou Xiangzhe also fumbled open his ward door and came out.

"How was it?" Shen Wang asked him.

"Surgery at 2:30 p.m. Less than an hour left."

"What a coincidence. Mine's at 2, half an hour earlier than you."

Zhou Xiangzhe was silent for a few seconds. "Half an hour for a surgery? That's impossible."

"Of course it's impossible. This isn't a real hospital, and we're not really blind." Shen Wang's tone was微妙, "This is inside the Level A Pollutant Hundred Eyes's painting. The hospital is fake, the contaminants are puppets. And a hospital that can make all blind people regain sight couldn't possibly exist."

"This hospital is closely related to Hundred Eyes. It's likely the hospital Hundred Eyes imagined."

Zhou Xiangzhe thought for a moment. "According to Baihe's story, she lost her eyes in a car accident, couldn't paint anymore, so after becoming a contaminant, she painted such a painting?"

"Actually, I've been curious for a long time." Shen Wang looked at Zhou Xiangzhe, "Your knowledge of Hundred Eyes is this low? How did you get this story?"

"Hundred Eyes is the signature on the paintings. Pre-apocalypse data was too severely damaged. We didn't find any painter data signed Hundred Eyes. As for this story, it's fragmented plot Baihe obtained through empathy after arriving here early. Baihe's talent also works for intelligence gathering."

Zhou Xiangzhe explained to Shen Wang, "That's why Baihe was assigned here this time—to prevent panic due to lack of data if accidents happen."

For humans, panic isn't good. It only makes contamination spread faster, makes people more severely contaminated.

Baihe's presence was a placebo, telling everyone they still had a chance. As long as Baihe was there, they could obtain new data.

But this also practically said: They knew nothing about Hundred Eyes.

Level A Pollutant Hundred Eyes, an outpost recently discovered by observers. But before, this place didn't have a gallery at all. If it had, they definitely wouldn't have overlooked it. Although it was closer to the Academy of Sciences lab, it was still in Central City's peripheral area.

A bit closer and it'd be at Central City's alert line.

How could they possibly overlook a Level A Pollutant so carelessly?

This could only mean one thing: This gallery had relocated here in a short time.

"I see." Shen Wang narrowed his eyes slightly, exhaled, his right hand still pressing against his stomach. He was still hungry, especially when sharing a space with Zhou Xiangzhe.

"Now we have fifteen minutes left to discuss whether to go to this so-called operating room for surgery."

Logically, they should go. After all, they'd walked this entire hospital corridor. There was nothing here except some rigid low-level contaminants, which couldn't even provide Shen Wang with much energy because they were just paintings come to life.

Zhou Xiangzhe understood this too.

He thought for a few seconds. "Are you okay now?"

"Okay." Shen Wang answered lazily.

Not okay. I'm fucking starving, and you, this piece of pork belly, are still swaying in front of me!

And Zhou Xiangzhe was calculating the danger of letting Shen Wang act alone.

Level C, nearing Level B Anomaly. Facing not the Level A Pollutant's true form. Talent of Fear Intimidation, usable for self-preservation at critical moments.

Episode period. As someone quite familiar with Shen Wang, after finding him, he'd also obtained the hospital's records on his condition. Zhou Xiangzhe knew that although Shen Wang was weaker, more easily fatigued than normal during episodes, his aggression was extreme. In an irritable state, he could exert power surpassing that of an Anomaly. Even the Academy of Sciences had noticed him.

But because of his overly strong aggression during episodes and Lan's betrayal at the time, the Academy of Sciences temporarily abandoned human research, avoiding him being contacted by them.

Overall: Shen Wang was strong. Even during an episode, it wasn't a complete disadvantage for him.

But… was it really okay?

"Captain, are you thinking too long?" Shen Wang suddenly asked, "Are you this protective of your other teammates too?"

Of course not.

Zhou Xiangzhe lowered his eyelids slightly.

The Expedition Team was humanity's strongest force for external exploration. They represented humanity's future, how far people could go later. So the Expedition Team recruited the bravest, most righteous, strongest Anomalies.

If it weren't Shen Wang standing here, he wouldn't hesitate at all. Even if this person were Ming Guang.

"Don't you want to fight alongside me?" Shen Wang asked again.

Joining Polaris was something Shen Wang had considered. But if joining Polaris only meant being a logistics member who couldn't go to the frontlines, what was the point? Without access to contaminants, he couldn't scavenge at all. Might as well join an ordinary Expedition Team and eat small, low-level contaminants.

At least he'd get to eat.

So Shen Wang continued asking Zhou Xiangzhe, "Why did you personally invite me into Polaris?"

To protect. For the indelible mark in his heart. For the Starlight Orphanage. For the childhood friend he'd searched for so many years.

For his Little Fifteen.

But Zhou Xiangzhe couldn't say any of this. He just sighed softly.

"Let's go." Zhou Xiangzhe said, "Inviting you into Polaris was, of course, because I wanted to fight alongside you. I value you highly."

"So be careful."

Shen Wang smiled. His voice carried a young man's frivolity, full of vitality. Though only a year younger than Zhou Xiangzhe, it seemed all the youthful vigor Zhou Xiangzhe had long lost still survived in him.

He said: Of course. I'm the one who values my life the most.

Whether this sentence was true or false, pretty words were something anyone could say, and people liked hearing pretty words.

Finally reaching a consensus with Zhou Xiangzhe, Shen Wang waited a while before seeing the doctor arrive. It was still the same doctor from rounds earlier, but this time he brought four nurses. The nurses pushed a single-person gurney. Each nurse stared stiffly at his face.

That gurney was stained with dark red bloodstains and scratch marks. Just looking at it, one could imagine the terrible ordeal the person lying on it had suffered.

Though, everyone entering this painting was blind. Probably no one but Shen Wang could see it.

The doctor patted the bed rail. "Get on. It's your turn for surgery."

Shen Wang looked at the bed with some disgust. "Can I not get on? I can walk to the operating room myself."

"What are you saying? Your eyes can't see, how could you go to the operating room yourself!" The doctor immediately grew impatient, "Hurry up, don't waste our time!"

Fine.

Shen Wang thought calmly: In the three years outside the High Wall, he'd been to countless places, countless dirty places. Now it was just lying on a bed that who knows how many people had died on.

…No, still too disgusting.

Confirming this thing definitely required him to lie on it, Shen Wang pulled off the sheet stained with dark red blood and threw it on the ground. Then he pulled the sheet from his hospital bed and spread it over the gurney. Finally satisfied, Shen Wang lay down and immediately felt the bed being pushed away.

Four nurses pushed the bed from four corners. Soon, the bed was pushed to the corridor end. At the corridor end appeared an elevator. The doctor pressed the elevator button.

"You're really lucky,正好 encountering us receiving new eyes." The doctor muttered while waiting for the elevator door to open.

"Eyes aren't easy to obtain. You know the girl in the neighboring ward? She's been here a year and hasn't gotten eyes yet. But you just encountered new eyes. After changing eyes, you'll be able to see."

"Our hospital's cure rate is 100%!"

The elevator door opened. Shen Wang was pushed into the elevator. He consciously looked outside.

Sure enough, Zhou Xiangzhe stood not far down the corridor.

He stood quietly. Because of blindness, his eyes held no color. His silent appearance seemed to strip away all his sharpness. Shen Wang saw his tightly clenched hand, the area around the ring on his finger slightly pale. He seemed very worried.

But why was he so worried?

Sometimes Shen Wang wondered if Zhou Xiangzhe was just too good a person. Was he like this with everyone?

But Ming Guang had also said Zhou Xiangzhe had no friends. Everyone was afraid of him. People didn't even dare speak to him much.

Shen Wang thought: If Zhou Xiangzhe was like this, how could he have no friends?

It seemed he didn't know enough about Zhou Xiangzhe yet.