Chapter 79: 秩序之城13（完）

Chapter 79

Order had no idea why the uncrowned king of the Zero Pollution Zone was here.

Ever since becoming a Pollutant, its innate talent had made it the most terrifying entity in the world. So it acted without restraint—it didn't just seize the entire Zone 3 Contamination Area; to build its own Order City, it had attacked countless humans and casually wiped out countless low-level Pollutants along the way.

To Order, it was the sky. It was everything!

Until one day, it strayed to the border of the Zero Pollution Zone and arrogantly stepped inside…

Order never actually saw the Despot. Because the moment it took its first step into the Zero Pollution Zone, it was violently thrown out. An intense wave of Contamination, accompanied by soul-shaking terror, left its mind blank. By the time it came to its senses, it had already fled in panic, the entire Pollutant huddled back in Zone 3, trembling.

After that, it never dared approach the Zero Pollution Zone again.

But through cautious probing later on, it discovered this Despot wasn't as tyrannical as his title suggested. He rarely even left the Zero Pollution Zone and paid no attention to the outside world of humans and other Pollutants, like a recluse detached from the world.

So Order grew arrogant again, stepping out once more to build its Order City.

That's why… Order simply couldn't understand. Why had the Despot suddenly appeared in its Order City?!

The ceramic fragments completely fell away from the attendant's body, revealing a man with black hair and black eyes, wearing glasses, who looked quite scholarly. The man stood in place, lifting his head to gaze distantly at Order ahead.

The moment Order truly saw the Despot, its mental defenses instantly crumbled.

"Are you here to take revenge on the Pollution Control Center?" Order asked, clinging to a sliver of hope.

Yes, that had to be it!

It was the Pollution Control Center that had created such a massive trap, imprisoning them all in that strange place for so many years. They'd only been able to leave recently. The Despot was called the Despot for a reason—he must have immense pride! He must be deeply dissatisfied with the Pollution Control Center.

He must have come to its Order City because of those two Class S Mutants from the Pollution Control Center!

"It's them!" Order quickly pointed at Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe. "Those two are from the Pollution Control Center—they're our enemies!"

"Killing them would deal a heavy blow to the Pollution Control Center."

The look in the Despot's eyes grew increasingly subtle, and the sense of danger intensified.

Order gasped for breath, bewildered. It couldn't understand why, after pointing out the targets for the Despot, this suffocating fear that made it hard to even breathe hadn't faded at all. Instead, it had grown stronger.

This time, Shen Wang genuinely laughed, his smile full of mockery.

He walked over to the Despot's side and pointed at Order in front of them. "That's the one."

Amidst the mind-blanking fear, Order faintly heard Shen Wang's voice.

"Dad, it bullied me. Help me take it out!"

"What?!" Order's voice twisted. "What did you call him?! Impossible! Impossible!"

"How could you possibly be the Despot's child?!"

"How could the Despot's child be in the Pollution Control Center?! Absolutely impossible!"

Order retreated step by step, denying it over and over, as if denial could cover up the truth—even though it already believed it.

Because it had long known that this Class S Mutant from the Pollution Control Center, while human, wasn't entirely human. He carried the scent of both human and Pollutant, which was why it hadn't been able to identify Shen Wang's species and had even asked him what he was.

If his father really was the Despot, then everything made sense.

The inhuman Contamination on him came from the fear-inducing Despot!

And he finally understood what Shen Wang's earlier words had meant.

Order turned and tried to run, but after taking a single step, it found itself falling flat on the ground. Its legs had gone completely weak, so weak it could barely move. Thick, Contamination-condensed black water smothered its body, as if countless hands were pressing it down. An invisible pressure made it impossible to even lift its head.

It desperately clawed at the ground. Beneath its terrified, twisted face, the screen before its eyes flickered.

"Pollution Containment!" it screamed like a madman.

Order didn't want to die, but it was no match for the Despot—even though this Despot wasn't his true body, just a simple puppet avatar.

If the Despot was an adult, then other Class S Pollutant were hamsters. The puppet avatars the Despot sent out were a bunch of kids. But even a kid could easily strangle a hamster.

So Order wanted to use its talent to restrain the Despot as much as possible. Not to defeat him, but to buy time—even a minute would do!

As long as it could escape…

After the rule changed, Zhou Xiangzhe felt a slight weight on his shoulder again. He turned to look and saw the little Black Furry Sphere had reappeared on his shoulder, timidly hiding under the jacket he was holding up. The little sphere's fur was all puffed out, and it was trembling.

The Despot's Contamination was simply too terrifying. Anyone who could move under his pollution was exceptional.

So Order had overestimated itself and underestimated the Despot.

The instant it finished changing the rule, Order didn't even last three seconds before letting out a shriek. The screen before its eyes shattered completely, broken glass shards stabbing into its eyes, instantly drenching them in blood.

The Despot hadn't done anything. He just watched coldly, and that was enough to cause this result.

He didn't say a word, but everyone present could read the meaning in his dark eyes.

"Who do you think you are, daring to bully my child."

"No, I didn't!" Order immediately begged for mercy. "I didn't do anything! I just invited them to Order City as guests. I definitely didn't intend to do anything!"

Order couldn't even cover its bleeding eyes, just kept pleading. "I really, truly don't want to offend you!"

Shen Wang walked over. He looked at Order calmly. "I think you'd better go ahead and offend me."

Order froze for a moment, then lifted its head to look at Shen Wang in confusion.

"Because the reason I came here was for you," Shen Wang said. "Even if you didn't plan to offend me, I was going to offend you."

Shen Wang smiled, speaking the most terrifying words with the most harmless, peaceful expression. "After all, I'm a member of the Pollution Control Center now. I came here to eliminate Pollutant."

"You're really unlucky."

Order's face grew even uglier. It looked at Shen Wang, then at the Despot standing firmly in front of him, completely in a protective stance.

It understood that this time, it was definitely going down because of them.

It didn't understand why the Despot's child would join the Pollution Control Center, nor why the Despot would allow his own child to stand on the opposite side. But the Despot had allowed it, and he stood completely on Shen Wang's side. He would clear away any obstacle for his child.

"I'll kill you!"

Order lunged forward to attack Shen Wang, but in the next instant, it was sent flying backward.

After hitting the ground, the pain arrived belatedly. It instinctively wanted to scream, but found it couldn't make a sound.

Thick black rain fell on it. It grew more and more terrified, more and more out of control. It couldn't think, completely muted by fear. Its hazy consciousness seemed to send it back over twenty years, to the day it had barged into the Zero Pollution Zone.

Before its consciousness faded, it finally remembered—it hadn't seen nothing after all. The thought belonged to no one but Yu Xiang.

On the day it stepped into the Zero Pollution Zone, it had seen a single black eye. That eye had met its gaze, and the eye's owner had uttered just one word to it.

He said: 'Get out.'

And so Order had 'gotten out,' living in fear for nearly a year, constantly trembling in terror.

And today, this uncontrollable fear had finally reached its end.

/

After Order stopped moving completely, the black rain in the sky also ceased.

Shen Wang let out a soft sigh, then smiled at the Despot. "Thanks, Dad."

The Despot looked at Shen Wang, then gently reached out and ruffled his hair. After that, his figure vanished into the air.

He was, after all, just a puppet avatar of the Despot, hidden in Order City for intelligence. Now that he'd helped his child deal with the one who bullied him, and Order City was gone, there was no need to stay.

Watching the Despot disappear, Shen Wang didn't waste a moment. He walked over to Order's side. Blood Thorns spread out from under his feet, quickly enveloping Order entirely. The thorns' spikes pierced Order's body, wrapping it into a thorny ball and devouring it.

Zhou Xiangzhe stood to the side, draping Shen Wang's jacket back over his shoulders. The neckless Black Furry Sphere on his shoulder tilted along with him, curiously watching the Blood Thorns.

So Zhou Xiangzhe simply pushed it off. He watched it land unexpectedly, falling flat on its back, then quickly roll over. The whole sphere sank into the ground, stealthily swimming over to Shen Wang's feet to cautiously observe the Blood Thorns devouring Order.

Zhou Xiangzhe, meanwhile, went to check on the victims of Order City.

Truthfully, Zhou Xiangzhe didn't have high expectations for their survival rate. They'd suffered prolonged Contamination from Order, been forcibly controlled by the Deer God Entity, and finally encountered the big boss that was the Despot.

The Despot's black rain had fallen on them without mercy.

But when he approached the victims, Zhou Xiangzhe was surprised to find: they were still alive.

The half-ceramic parts of their bodies had returned to normal, though most of their limbs were broken. They lay on the ground breathing shallowly, their eyes unfocused. Zhou Xiangzhe tried waving his hand in front of them, but not a single eye followed.

They weren't dead, but their spirits and emotions had been completely shattered by the Despot's terror.

Just as Zhou Xiangzhe was wondering whether this counted as a good or bad outcome, a hand reached from behind and poked the horn on his head—the one he'd completely forgotten about.

Zhou Xiangzhe instantly turned his head, looking somewhat alarmed at Shen Wang standing behind him.

"Shen Wang?"

"What were you thinking about? You were so absorbed I called you twice."

Zhou Xiangzhe seriously doubted the truth of that statement, but questioning it felt like arguing for the sake of it. So he apologized and told Shen Wang about the victims' condition.

Shen Wang looked them over. "At least they're alive. Maybe someday we'll actually find a way to treat Mental Pollution."

Zhou Xiangzhe nodded.

"Oh, right, I got Order's talent," Shen Wang said. "Let's hurry up and try it out, see if it works."

As he spoke, Shen Wang grabbed Zhou Xiangzhe's hands and pulled him over to an open space nearby. Zhou Xiangzhe noticed that not far away, the Black Furry Sphere was cautiously trying to poke the thorns with its stubby paws, only to get its paw pricked and instantly sink into the dirt to hide.

Zhou Xiangzhe shifted his gaze back, focusing on Shen Wang's black eyes.

He'd always loved Shen Wang's eyes. Black like the deep night, yet incredibly warm and full of life because of Shen Wang's own personality. Those eyes were as beautiful as a sky full of stars.

And now those eyes were looking at him with such seriousness.

"Rule Restriction: Pollution Containment."

Zhou Xiangzhe felt Shen Wang's grip on his hands turn strangely cool for just an instant, then the chill vanished. Zhou Xiangzhe met Shen Wang's gaze, as if asking: Is that it?

"Yeah, that's it."

Zhou Xiangzhe let go of Shen Wang's hand. He pulled out a simple Pollution Detector from his person and pressed it against his fingertip.

Soon, the Pollution Inhibitor displayed the result.

"Test result: Your Contamination Level is: 73%. Seek medical attention immediately, or proceed to S-Zone for treatment."

Zhou Xiangzhe's eyes widened slightly. "Seventy-three?"

"Yeah, seventy-three." Shen Wang smiled and took Zhou Xiangzhe's hand. "It really works."

Seventy-three was still a high contamination number, but for Zhou Xiangzhe, who'd been stuck at eighty for years and was at ninety just three minutes ago, seventy-three was a number he'd never dared imagine.

When he came to Order City, Zhou Xiangzhe had held some hope, but he hadn't dared to truly expect it. He was terrified of being disappointed in the end.

Because if it failed, it wouldn't just be him who was disappointed. It would be both of them.

Zhou Xiangzhe threw the Pollution Inhibitor aside. He hugged Shen Wang, holding him tight, so tight.

"Thank you." Zhou Xiangzhe's eyes were slightly red. "Shen Wang, thank you."

"You never have to say thank you to me in this lifetime." Shen Wang patted his shoulder gently. "Zhou Xiangzhe, we're married. We're supposed to share the good and the bad, walk this road together."

But Zhou Xiangzhe knew that 'sharing the good and the bad' was easy to say. How many people could actually do it?

He'd worked at the Pollution Control Center for so many years, led Polaris across the entire country. A certificate, a piece of paper—that thing couldn't really bind a person. That paper was just proof you could live together in name. People who wanted to leave would still leave.

The person you loved loving you back—that really was the happiest thing in the world.

"What are you going to tell the Pollution Control Center when we get back?" Shen Wang asked. "Your contamination level just dropped a whole twenty percent."

"I'll say the Deer God Entity left my body and took twenty percent with it," Zhou Xiangzhe answered softly.

Shen Wang laughed. "Last time you said S-Zone judged that even if the Deer God Entity was stripped away, your contamination level wouldn't drop. You believe that now?"

"They'll have to believe it, because I'm indispensable to the Pollution Control Center." Zhou Xiangzhe rubbed his forehead against Shen Wang's hair. "A me with a lower contamination level is incredibly valuable to them. As long as I'm safe, they won't be stupid enough to dig into exactly how I lowered it."

Because of their positions, Shen Wang had a clear view of the black tattoo on Zhou Xiangzhe's neck. Taking advantage of Zhou Xiangzhe's distraction while talking, Shen Wang reached out and poked the tattoo on his neck again.

Zhou Xiangzhe's words halted. A few seconds later, he spoke. "You like it?"

"I like it. It's not that interesting on other people, but it looks really good on you." Shen Wang traced the pattern on his neck with his fingers, then looked up at the horn on his head, adding with utter greed, "And I like this horn too."

Zhou Xiangzhe's throat bobbed. He whispered, "I'll let you touch it when we get back."

Shen Wang followed the pattern downward with his fingers and found the black tattoo winding past Zhou Xiangzhe's collarbone. Everything below was blocked by Zhou Xiangzhe's clothes.

He wanted to touch it, but he couldn't take his clothes off and touch it now.

Zhou Xiangzhe noticed Shen Wang's thoughts. He pressed Shen Wang's hand against his chest, his earlobes turning red. "Wait, wait until we get back."

Just then, a cough sounded from not far away.

Zhou Xiangzhe and Shen Wang both looked over at the same time.

There stood Zhou Qing, covered in dust and dirt, carrying a child on his shoulder. He looked like he'd been buried in mud and dug back out again, his monk robes turned a dusty yellow.

Zhou Qing was looking at Shen Wang with a weird expression.

"You really do have another dog outside!"

"How can you do this to Zhou Xiangzhe?"

"Zhou Xiangzhe likes you so much, you even got married, and here you are getting all lovey-dovey with someone else!"

Zhou Xiangzhe coughed, a little embarrassed.

"Huh? Your voice sounds a lot like Zhou Xiangzhe's." Zhou Qing looked at him suspiciously. "What? Is this a body double plot?"

Shen Wang smiled, but there was no warmth in his eyes, only threat. "Master, if your eyes aren't working, I can donate them for you. If you can't speak properly, I can donate your tongue while I'm at it."

Zhou Qing: …?

"It's me." Zhou Xiangzhe waved to the side. The Black Furry Sphere hiding in the dirt instantly popped out and jumped onto his shoulder.

Seeing that familiar Black Furry Sphere, Zhou Qing sucked in a sharp breath.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed. "Isn't that Devour?!"

He looked at the black-haired, black-eyed man in front of him in horror. "Holy shit! Zhou Xiangzhe?!"

"It's me," Zhou Xiangzhe answered again, resigned.

Zhou Qing could hardly believe it. He reached out directly to tug at Zhou Xiangzhe's hair.

Shen Wang blocked his hand, pulling Zhou Xiangzhe into his arms protectively.

"Hey, looking's fine, but keep your hands to yourself." Shen Wang declared righteously. "He's mine."

Zhou Qing: …

Damn couples!

After accepting reality, Zhou Qing immediately asked if something had happened with the Deer God Entity. Upon learning that Order's rule had caused the talent to fail, directly leading to the Deer God Entity's escape, Zhou Qing sighed deeply, seeming both regretful and moved.

"It's a good thing too," Zhou Qing said. "Devouring the Deer God Entity kept your contamination level sky-high. You've been a human seal, trapping it for three whole years. That's enough."

"If the Pollution Control Center still can't find a way to deal with the Deer God Entity, that's on them."

As he spoke, Zhou Qing raised his palm vertically in front of his face and bowed to Zhou Xiangzhe.

"Amitabha. Thank you, Benefactor Zhou, for your selfless dedication these three years. Benefactor Zhou deserves a rest now."

/

After the rules and contamination disappeared, 'Ghost City' finally appeared in reality before everyone. Following Zhou Xiangzhe's report, the Pollution Control Center brought people into Order City to search for victims.

People coming and going would glance at Zhou Xiangzhe with confusion the moment they saw him, then turn away strangely.

They were all wondering who this stranger was, standing with the Class S Mutants.

Zhou Xiangzhe, of course, paid them no mind. After leaving Order City, he immediately reported the Deer God Entity's escape to the Pollution Control Center's higher-ups. The Center was very worried at first, but when they learned that Zhou Xiangzhe's own contamination level had dropped to seventy-three after the Deer God Entity left, they instantly cheered up.

"No need to worry about the Deer God Entity for now," Zhou Xiangzhe said. "It just escaped and will hide for a while. There's a ninety percent chance it won't appear in the near future."

The Pollution Control Center sighed. "We can only think that way for now."

"Anyway, eliminating the Class S Pollutant in Zone 3 Contamination Area this time is a huge victory."

"To reassure the public, we'd like you to give an interview when you return," the higher-up said. "Because of the series of incidents recently, some residents are feeling anxious about the current situation. Fear is contagious. We need to stabilize them as soon as possible."

Zhou Xiangzhe glanced at Shen Wang. "Okay."

The higher-up hung up, satisfied.

Zhou Xiangzhe put his phone back in his pocket and looked again at the staff continuously finding victims.

In truth, what mattered more in society as a whole weren't the Mutants, but ordinary people. Mutants were powerful consumables; they would always become Pollutant in the future. Only ordinary people could remain purely human from birth to death. That's why the Pollution Control Center worked so hard to protect them.

In the future, they would be the foundation for humanity's continuation.

Jing Chunjun, as the only Class S who hadn't participated in the battle, took on all the work arrangements here. Zhou Qing also felt he had nothing else to do; after washing up, he joined Jing Chunjun in the work. In the end, only Shen Wang and Zhou Xiangzhe boarded the plane back to Central City together.

When they boarded the plane, the inspection personnel's mouths hung open like eggs, looking at Zhou Xiangzhe again and again.

Zhou Xiangzhe was a bit exasperated. He whispered to Shen Wang, "When I was discharged from the Hospital after devouring the Deer God Entity, people looked at me like this too. Seems like I have to go through it all over again."

Shen Wang smiled. "So you need to do that interview as soon as possible, tell everyone you've turned back into this likable look."

"As long as you like it."

Zhou Xiangzhe didn't have any particular requirements for his own appearance, but everyone liked pretty things and pretty people. Even Zhou Xiangzhe himself liked some delicate accessories to decorate himself with.

So he was glad that Shen Wang liked his looks.

"Oh, right," Shen Wang suddenly changed the subject. "After we land, let's go to the supermarket together?"

Zhou Xiangzhe was a little surprised. "You want to buy groceries and cook?"

"No." Shen Wang glanced at him. "I want to buy a Butterfly Knot."

Zhou Xiangzhe: …

He'd almost forgotten about that.