Chapter 72: 秩序之城6

Chapter 72

What now? Zhou Xiangzhe didn't know.

He was a good kid at the Orphanage, friendly and gentle. He was a good captain at Polaris, leading by example, restrained and disciplined. In front of Shen Wang, he was a good lover, respecting Shen Wang's every decision.

So, in matters of intimacy, he was a blank slate. Even if he knew what to do, he wouldn't take the initiative to ask.

Besides, his marriage to Shen Wang had been a hasty decision. He hadn't fully moved past the stage of being anxious and insecure.

Shen Wang didn't care about any of that. He reached out and circled his arm around Zhou Xiangzhe's waist, his breath warm against Zhou Xiangzhe's ear. The heat made Zhou Xiangzhe's ears turn a faint red. The air seemed to still. Zhou Xiangzhe felt the unfamiliar touch at his waist, the warmth he could have ignored before slowly rising.

As someone who grew up in the Pollution Control Center, Zhou Xiangzhe never let people get close easily, let alone put a hand on such a sensitive spot.

But…

Shen Wang watched his ear with amusement, humming a laugh. "So, what are you gonna do?"

Zhou Xiangzhe subconsciously clenched his teeth, then let out a breath. "Ignore it."

"That's so cruel to it." Shen Wang reached out and undid another button on his shirt, then the ones below. As he did this, he kept watching Zhou Xiangzhe's flustered state. Bullying people had always been Shen Wang's strong suit.

"This place…"

"Can your cleanliness obsession pick another time to act up?" Shen Wang calmly pinched his earlobe with his fingers. The overheated ear trembled sensitively at the touch of Shen Wang's cool fingers.

Zhou Xiangzhe choked. He didn't get a chance to refuse.

And now it was too late to refuse. Besides, he didn't really want to refuse that much.

It was an unfamiliar experience. Zhou Xiangzhe felt his mind go blank, filled entirely with the sensation of Shen Wang's cool fingertips. He abruptly wondered if Shen Wang was cold right now. But early spring was over; it was almost summer. It shouldn't be this cool.

But it was definitely cool, chilling him enough to shiver. Yet after the coolness came a scorching heat, as if Shen Wang's hand had lit a fire that burned him clean through.

Shen Wang used his other hand to hold Zhou Xiangzhe's waist, preventing him from moving around and interfering. Zhou Xiangzhe, already worn out from the Contamination Level flare-up, was now drenched like he'd been pulled from water, the corners of his eyes reddened. The wound on the side of his neck had closed, looking a tender pink.

Shen Wang stared at the wound. "I've always thought you looked delicious."

Zhou Xiangzhe's entire focus was on Shen Wang's fingers. Hearing Shen Wang speak so abruptly, he tried to process the meaning for a few seconds but couldn't grasp it.

In the end, he could only spare a sliver of attention to voice a soft, questioning sound. "Hm?"

'Back in [Hundred Eyes]'s gallery, I thought you looked delicious. I really wanted to eat you up.' Shen Wang was getting a little heated too, his voice carrying a faint breathlessness. His voice was already gentle; this touch of breathiness made it sound sticky and thick, and it set Zhou Xiangzhe's brain buzzing.

What was Shen Wang saying? Delicious? Very delicious? What was delicious?

It wasn't until the wound on the side of his neck was lightly licked that Zhou Xiangzhe's muddled mind cleared a little.

"Zhou Xiangzhe."

Shen Wang called his name, then gently bit the tip of his ear with his teeth.

Zhou Xiangzhe gasped lightly, his words coming in broken pieces. "You can eat me, but…"

"But?" Shen Wang raised an eyebrow slightly.

"You can't eat the Deer God Entity." Zhou Xiangzhe reached out and pressed Shen Wang against the wall. Those golden eyes held desire and a provoked dominance.

Zhou Xiangzhe was too clever. Even in this state, he could run through the scene from back then in his mind.

Shen Wang had bitten him then, bitten him hard. But now he knew Shen Wang could eat a Pollutant, so what Shen Wang had wanted to bite back then might not have been him at all, but the Deer God Entity inside him.

Zhou Xiangzhe kissed Shen Wang, holding him. Only after the kiss did he grit his teeth and repeat, "You can only bite me."

This side of Zhou Xiangzhe was very rare.

In front of Shen Wang, Zhou Xiangzhe had always been like he was as a child, almost completely mismatched with the legend of that 'unyielding guardian deity.' He seemed like he would never be forceful, always gentle. Until now—forcefully pressing Shen Wang against the wall, his eyes full of possessiveness, his tone not gentle at all.

The extreme sense of pressure formed a stark contrast with before, making it all the more eye-catching.

Shen Wang took a light breath, then let it out. Interested, he increased the pressure of his hand. Zhou Xiangzhe stiffened instantly.

"Are you jealous?" Shen Wang asked.

Zhou Xiangzhe looked at Shen Wang, then slowly shook his head. He just wouldn't admit it.

Not admitting it was good. Bullying him when he wouldn't admit it was more fun.

"...Don't."

"Don't what?"

"Don't tease me." Zhou Xiangzhe's voice was hoarse. "You can make it… hurt more."

Shen Wang couldn't help but laugh.

"Shall we continue the treatment, then?"

/

On the way back, Zhou Xiangzhe was still a bit uncomfortable. His cleanliness obsession wasn't severe, but it wasn't so mild that he could… have a go in such a dirty place.

Even if it was just a handjob.

But that place had no bathroom, no clean water, no change of clothes. It was full of dust, exposed to the air. Absolutely terrible.

In the end, Zhou Xiangzhe used up all the wet wipes he carried and was still dissatisfied, really wanting to find a place to clean himself and Shen Wang immediately.

Shen Wang felt his hand was about to be rubbed raw.

"Okay, that's enough." Shen Wang pulled his hand back. "How much do you hate your own stuff?"

Zhou Xiangzhe shook his head, insisting, "We have to find a place to wash our hands."

Fortunately, not long after they walked out of the alley, they saw a public restroom. Only after the water ran over their hands did Zhou Xiangzhe finally relax, the jumping cleanliness obsession finally suppressed.

When they returned to their original spot, the child was sitting on the steps, expressionlessly staring ahead. She didn't even look up when they came back.

She was a patient with the Novel Genetic Disease, her emotions very flat. She had no curiosity and little feeling for people. So she had no thoughts about Zhou Xiangzhe and Shen Wang leaving her here. Even if they really had abandoned her, the child probably wouldn't have been sad. She was born lacking these things.

"Did anyone bother you?" Shen Wang asked, sitting down beside her.

"Yes." The child answered. "But I ran away. I don't have any money on me, so they didn't come looking for me."

In a place like this, children were the least valuable things. Because children couldn't earn money, because they were too weak and had already been robbed multiple times—there was no money to squeeze out of them.

Hearing this, Zhou Xiangzhe also sat down. He looked at the people ahead. "Are the people who bothered you over there?"

The child shook her head. "No."

So they'd run off.

They would bully a child, but they didn't dare to mess with a child by two adult men. With Shen Wang's reputation for counter-robbing people several times now, no one dared to approach.

Even if their brains were addled by Contamination, they still knew they couldn't let their money be taken by someone else. Facing Shen Wang meant the outcome was all their money getting taken.

"Hungry?" Zhou Xiangzhe asked the child. "Want to go eat?"

Zhou Xiangzhe wasn't hungry to begin with. His Contamination Level had long since affected his digestive system; he could go a month without eating and be fine.

But after what just happened, after trying something he'd never tried before, looking at Shen Wang now gave him a feeling of dry mouth and throat. He felt a bit hungry and thirsty. So, even though he couldn't taste anything, Zhou Xiangzhe was prepared to eat something to suppress it.

As for Shen Wang… he glanced at Zhou Xiangzhe, his black eyes holding a hint of meaningful depth.

As if he knew exactly why Zhou Xiangzhe suddenly brought up 'eating.'

However, the simple child didn't know. The simple child immediately stood up, holding onto the single great interest of eating.

Anyway, they stood up, ready to find a place to eat first.

But just as they stood, a clamor of noise came from not far away. Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe saw the people working around them all running in one direction.

Everyone's eyes were filled with excitement and greed.

"It's the Butler!"

"Why is the Butler showing up here?!"

"Who knows, but if we get on the Butler's good side, can we get into the Greed Layer without buying a ticket?! We have to seize the chance!"

"Right, right! Seize the chance!"

Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe weren't interested. Zhou Xiangzhe picked up the child from the ground, and the three of them prepared to leave in the opposite direction.

But before they could walk away, the crowd suddenly shifted toward them. Everyone seemed to be blocked by an invisible wall. The smiling Butler walked right over. Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe exchanged a look. They finally realized this Butler was coming for them.

The Butler stood before the two of them, beaming.

"Congratulations, you two. You've passed the trial and are now official residents of Order City."

"Order City opens the next layer to all official residents. Would you two like to enter the next layer?"

Zhou Xiangzhe looked at the Butler strangely. "We passed just like that?"

"Of course." The Butler nodded. "You are a person of unwavering resolve. Even in the face of temptation, you never compromise, firmly maintaining your self. You are a qualified resident of Order City."

"And you." The Butler looked at Shen Wang. "A person with great desire who can impose change. You can change the injustices of this world, change the rules of the Greed Layer. You are a qualified resident of Order City."

After speaking, the Butler pulled two cards from his pocket and presented them with both hands.

"These are the Resident Cards of Order City."

Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe didn't pay it much mind. They took the cards and looked at them. The Resident Cards had no information about them on them; one side just had the words 'Resident Card' written on it. They looked incredibly fake and shoddy. But since this Butler handed them over, they probably were the so-called Resident Cards.

The Butler watched them accept the Resident Cards, then looked at the child in Zhou Xiangzhe's arms.

"Would you two like to purchase a Resident Card?"

Zhou Xiangzhe looked at him. "You can buy Resident Cards?"

"Those who possess a Resident Card can purchase one for their family and friends. After all, our Order City is full of human warmth." The Butler praised Order City as if he'd lost his mind. "However, each person can only purchase one Resident Card, and one card costs 1 million."

"Would you two like to buy a Resident Card for this little princess?"

Shen Wang gave him a subtle look. 'And what if we don't have the money?'

"Then there's nothing to be done." The Butler said as if it were obvious. "You two are residents of Order City, but she is not. She can only stay alone on this layer."

What a disgusting rule.

But before Shen Wang could even start cursing, a voice suddenly came from not far away.

"I can give you money! Take me to the second layer!"

Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe both looked over. One of the people blocked by the air was pressed against the invisible wall, waving his hand frantically.

"I have money! I can pay for your daughter! Just take me up!"

The Butler was still smiling, but he offered an explanation.

"Both of you are qualified residents of our Order City, each possessing the privilege to bring along friends and family. Order City does not care whether this person is truly your relative or friend. Even if you pick a random stranger, as long as you pay, you can bring them up."

"Of course, I wouldn't recommend you do that." The Butler cast a disdainful glance at those ordinary people. "They're just empty shells, drowning in their desires."

"If you truly have no money, you could consider their proposal."

Huh, so there's a loophole?

Shen Wang stared at him, his dark eyes dangerous. "You're saying: we just need to bring that person up with us, and we don't need to worry about money?"

"Yes."

"Who made that rule?"

"That is, of course, a regulation of Order City."

Shen Wang let out a cold laugh. "But I have a new idea."

Watching the smirking Shen Wang, Zhou Xiangzhe silently covered the child's ears. He was already deeply mourning for this Butler in his heart.

Didn't he learn anything from having the Greed Layer smashed?

Shen Wang was a man without rules. He hated being restricted by red tape most of all.

Paying to buy a Resident Card, bringing a stranger to avoid paying—these were all Order City's rules, the kind Shen Wang hated most and least wanted to follow.

The Butler clearly sensed no danger at all. It just looked at Shen Wang curiously and asked, "What idea do you have, sir?"

"I am a resident of Order City, right?" Shen Wang said. "As a resident of Order City, I should be kind, gentle, principled, and very friendly and responsible, shouldn't I?"

"Of course." The Butler said. "You, sir, are upright and honorable, truly a resident with great desires!"

"Then, lend me the money."

Shen Wang held out his hand to it. "Lend me a million. I'll pay you back once I earn it."

The Butler: …?

"Sir, that's not in accordance with the rules."

"Wasn't it you who said it? I'm a resident of Order City, kind, gentle, and responsible. How could I covet your 100w, right?" Shen Wang said. "Will you lend it or not? If you don't, you're denying my legitimacy as an Order City resident."

The Butler's brain seemed to stutter. It suggested, "You could accept that person's offer from earlier."

"No. Taking the 'empty shells drowning in desires' you mentioned up to Order City would make me uneasy, fill me with guilt." Shen Wang said calmly. "If you don't lend it to me, you're abusing your power, trying to force me to bring undesirable people up and taint Order City."

"Lend it to me."

The Butler stared gloomily at Shen Wang, then finally pulled a check worth 100w from its pocket and placed it in Shen Wang's hand.

Shen Wang calmly handed the check back to the Butler. "Buy one Resident Card."

Silently, it put the check back in its pocket and pulled out a Resident Card.

"...Thank you for purchasing a Resident Card."

"Don't thank me." Shen Wang said righteously. "Thank the kind soul who lent me the money."

Stuffing the third Resident Card into the child's hand, Shen Wang arrogantly pressed on. "Take us up."

The Butler couldn't even maintain its smile anymore. It could only lead the two away from there to the second layer without a word.

After guarding the Greed Layer for so many years, this was the first one who dared borrow money from him.

Having seen the three off, the Butler finally dropped its smile. A waiter in a tailcoat stood behind him, his eyes sinister as he watched them leave.

"Are we really letting them go up?" the Butler asked the waiter behind him. "They're from the Pollution Control Center. Even though they passed the conditions, changed the rules, and forcibly borrowed money from me, but…"

"Ignore them."

The waiter spoke his first words, his voice hoarse, as if his throat had been torn.

"Since they passed the conditions, they are qualified residents of Order City. I merely dislike the Pollution Control Center; I do not completely refuse them becoming my residents."

"Moreover, once they are assimilated, humanity will lose its support, and Order City can continue to expand."

The Butler bowed his head. "You are right."

…

According to the information they had, Order City was confirmed to have at least three layers.

The first layer was the Greed Layer they'd just come from, and the second layer seemed to be called the Desire Layer.

The Greed Layer had a massive entertainment center where money could buy any service. So what about the Desire Layer?

"I don't think the Desire Layer will be more chaotic than the Greed Layer." Zhou Xiangzhe said. "At least the people here have been screened."

"You're wrong about that." Shen Wang replied calmly. "Ever heard the saying? One bad apple spoils the barrel."

"The second layer isn't just for those who were selected. You can also bring up the 'friends and family' of residents. You can even buy your way in."

Zhou Xiangzhe understood what Shen Wang meant. "True."

The selected people went through a strict process—determined or righteous. But the people brought up could be genuine friends and family, or they could have paid their way. Overall, it was a mixed bag. Bringing up a few bad apples wouldn't be unexpected.

They went up to the second layer with curiosity, and the scene before them soon changed.

Different from the Greed Layer, the second layer was clearly a bit better than below.

There were no people desperately working on the streets, no one deliberately selling poisoned vegetables on the roadside. The streets had no garbage or other debris. It looked more peaceful and prosperous.

The only strange thing was that everyone was heading in one direction.

Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe exchanged a glance. They walked in the direction the crowd was moving and soon saw a dense mass of people standing together, all looking up at a strange rotating wheel on a tall building.

"Is it starting soon?"

"Three more minutes."

"Still three minutes? I can't wait!"

They'd arrived too late, so they could only stand at the very back. They didn't push forward, but they could still feel the intense fervor of the people ahead.

This fervor was different from the Greed Layer, but it was the same kind of uncontrollable desire.

"What are they waiting for?" Zhou Xiangzhe whispered.

"They're waiting for the wheel to land on them."

Zhou Xiangzhe was stunned. He and Shen Wang turned at the same time and saw Zhou Qing, wearing tattered monk's robes, not far behind them. Zhou Qing looked rather rough—specifically, his robes were torn, and he'd lost one shoe.

Most importantly: he had utterly forgotten his roots and was holding up a pole. A white cloth fluttered from the pole, bearing seven large characters.

[Fortune Telling, No Charge If Inaccurate!]

Shen Wang clicked his tongue. "Master, have you changed faiths? Converted to Taoism?"

"Who says a monk can't tell fortunes?" Zhou Qing made a gesture. "Amitabha. You're attached to appearances, benefactor."

Zhou Xiangzhe walked over with the child. "Finally found you. Jing Chunjun is very worried."

"Ah, come on, I'm still a Class S Mutant. Even with my abilities restricted, Contamination can't completely take me." Zhou Qing said. "She just worries endlessly, always anxious about the future. You can't talk her out of it. I even told her to see a psychologist, but she won't go. Her Mental Aberration is so severe it's got me helpless."

After saying that, Zhou Qing looked at the child in his arms. "What's this?"

He looked from the child to Zhou Xiangzhe. "I thought you two just got married? When did you even have a kid?"

The child stared at him expressionlessly, no emotion in its big eyes.

"Wow, this kid looks so much like you. Both like little icebergs."

Zhou Xiangzhe: …

Shen Wang reached over, took the child from Zhou Xiangzhe's arms, and stuffed it into Zhou Qing's.

"This isn't our kid. We're both men; we can't have kids." Shen Wang said. "Actually, this is your child."

Zhou Qing was stunned. "Huh?"

"I believe Master Zhou loves saving all living beings and will definitely take good care of this poor child, right?"

Zhou Qing: "Huh?"

"I'm fucking a monk! How could I have a kid!"

Zhou Xiangzhe coughed. "We found this child in the Greed Layer. The Dispatch Team that went missing earlier picked it up. They all sacrificed themselves. We couldn't leave the child alone on the Greed Layer, so we brought it up."

If Shen Wang kept spinning his tall tales, he'd probably start telling Zhou Qing who gave birth to this child and how, guaranteed to leave Zhou Qing utterly bewildered.

Zhou Xiangzhe didn't want to have kids, and he didn't want Shen Wang to have them either.

After hearing the explanation, Zhou Qing nodded. "Then why aren't you keeping it? Why give it to me?"

"Since you suspected we could have a kid, shouldn't we give it a try?" Shen Wang hadn't given up his mischief and answered quite calmly. "Maybe we really could have one."

"Wouldn't it be bad for the child to see? So we have to trouble you, Master, to watch the kid."

Zhou Qing froze. It took him a moment to process what Shen Wang meant.

"Fuck!" Zhou Qing swore. "You two!"

Finally meeting up, and they didn't ask if he was okay, didn't ask if he had money to survive, didn't even ask if he was injured—just tossed him a kid.

How could he have such friends who abandoned their buddies for a pretty face!