After Bystander A Bound to JJ Literature City – CH10

Chapter 10 – Kill the Head and Run Away

[Checking personal information…]

[Gender: Male]

[Age: 25 years]

[Mental Power: 180/400]

[Physical Quality: B grade (pending upgrade)]

[Ability Talent: Healing Sequence, Therapy]

[Overall Evaluation: A potential candidate for a rare talent sequence.]

[Checking personal information… Unable to view the other party’s information.]

[Unable to view.]

[Unable to view.]

Fu Suxi removed his helmet, his gaze locking onto the shorter, leaner boy of the pair before him.

The boy’s eyes widened, pupils contracting sharply, as though he’d seen something terrifying. Instinctively, he staggered back, colliding with the dreadlocked guy behind him.

The jolt seemed to snap him out of his daze. Without a second thought, he grabbed the dreadlocked guy with one hand, shoved open a nearby door with the other, and bolted without a backward glance.

Fu Suxi watched them flee as if he’d just unleashed a flood or summoned a ferocious beast. For a moment, he stood still, then glanced over his shoulder.

Nothing.

Were they… scared of ‘him’?

After a brief pause to consider this, he took off his helmet and strolled after the direction they’d run, a leisurely pace betraying his lack of urgency.

[User “Lord of Fire” is curious about your plan.]  

[User “Strongest King” hopes you can kill them.]  

[User “Sew Sew” is curious why you took off your helmet and has rewarded you with 200 universal coins.]  

Fu Suxi glanced at the barrage of messages, his reply nonchalant: “They probably didn’t see my face.”

The implication was clear: if they ‘had’ seen him, they wouldn’t have run.  

[User “Sew Sew” appreciates your self-deception.]

Fu Suxi smirked. “I’m very handsome. This is called self-awareness.”

Through the door was a restaurant’s back kitchen, cluttered and empty. The two had already vanished.

Fu Suxi walked straight ahead. The kitchen led to the restaurant’s back door, wide open, revealing yet another deserted street.

They were short but surprisingly fast.

Just then, a faint rustling sound caught his attention from behind. Fu Suxi turned, his sharp gaze homing in on the source.

“Bang!”

A section of the wall exploded, leaving a gaping hole. Sunlight poured through, illuminating the scene within.

Behind the wall was a sealed warehouse. At its center lay a bald man, bound hand and foot. A cockroach, larger than the man himself, clung to him with its six spindly legs, gnawing hungrily at his head with sickening crunches.

This pollutant was the largest Fu Suxi had ever seen.  

The pollution levels here were off the charts—the source had to be nearby.  

The Meteor Apartment…  

Without hesitation, Fu Suxi raised his hand. A moment later, the entire building erupted in a thunderous explosion.

“Boom!”

*

Meanwhile, Yu Zhi, standing at 176 cm, darted through the twisting alleys like a shadow. The explosion behind him spurred his adrenaline, pushing him to run even faster, leaving Lu Liming struggling to keep up.

Lu Liming cursed under his breath, watching Yu Zhi’s agile figure. He became increasingly convinced that Yu Zhi was a hidden government agent. How else could he outrun him, a B-grade ability user, when Yu Zhi was supposedly E-grade?

After weaving through two more alleys, Yu Zhi reached the Meteor Apartment’s back entrance. He crossed the yard, keyed in the password, and slipped inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

Leaning against the wall, he gasped for breath, his thoughts racing.  

With so many buildings around, there’s no way Fu Suxi could pinpoint the Meteor Apartment and blow it up… right?

Outside, Lu Liming crouched near the door, peeking through a crack. After confirming no one had followed them, he turned to Yu Zhi.  

“He didn’t follow us. Brother Yu, who was that guy on the motorcycle?”

Yu Zhi exhaled slowly. “Fu Suxi.”

Lu Liming blinked, confused. “Who?”

Yu Zhi’s tone darkened. “The madman from the hospital.”

Lu Liming gawked. The fact Yu Zhi had recognized Fu Suxi despite his gear and speed was astonishing.

“Did you two know each other before?” Lu Liming pressed.

Yu Zhi nodded faintly, then shook his head. “I know of him, but he doesn’t know me.”

“I’ve heard stories about him,” he added, addressing the unspoken question. “Fu Suxi is unpredictable. If he wanted to kill us, we wouldn’t stand a chance.”

Lu Liming frowned, his first instinct to chalk up Yu Zhi’s words to modesty. But then, reality hit—alone, he’d be no match for that lunatic either.

Slapping his chest, Lu Liming declared, “Don’t worry, Brother Yu. I’ve been practicing my healing abilities. I won’t slow you down!”

“If you get hurt, I’ll heal you. Together, we’ll take down that little madman.”

Yu Zhi’s lips twitched in amusement. What a comforting thought—getting hurt, healed, and hurt again in an endless cycle until he ended up like that bald man.

He glanced at Lu Liming, who looked at him with unwavering faith, his trust shining like a puppy.  

Yu Zhi couldn’t explain the complexities of Fu Suxi in a brief moment, so he simply didn’t try. His mind raced. Why was Fu Suxi here?  He hadn’t just run at the sight of him because of the man’s unpredictable, bloodthirsty nature. No, the real reason was far more chilling: Fu Suxi was the protagonist of this apocalyptic world. And protagonists meant chaos. Wherever Fu Suxi went, death and destruction followed. Bystanders like Yu Zhi and Lu Liming were always the first to fall.

Yu Zhi’s right eyelid twitched. Haunting! he thought, cursing his luck. Why did Fu Suxi, the harbinger of doom, keep appearing in his life? “We can’t stay here,” he said, already moving towards the stairs. “Pack your things. We’re leaving H City. Now.”

“Where to?” Lu Liming asked, hurrying after him.

“The capital,” Yu Zhi replied.

Lu Liming’s eyes lit up. “Brother Yu, are you taking me home?”

“I’m going to seek refuge with a friend,” Yu Zhi said, then added, remembering the contract, “And collect on a certain debt you owe me.”

He’d planned to wait, to let the main storyline play out a bit longer before heading to the capital. But Fu Suxi’s appearance changed everything. Time was no longer a luxury.  Fu Suxi was far more terrifying than any system-imposed threat. At least the system had rules, a clear objective. Fu Suxi was a force of nature, killing on a whim.  If Yu Zhi couldn’t fight back, he could only flee.

As he climbed the stairs, he glanced at rooms 203 and 205.  The doors remained closed, silent. Back in 305, Yu Zhi dug through his suitcase and tossed Lu Liming a backpack.  “Pack everything we can carry,” he said, already stuffing clothes, food, and other necessities into his own bag. He’d tucked the contract with Lu Liming into his phone case that morning, creating another empty space. Now, he shoved his phone into the backpack, freeing up another slot.

Suitcase, backpack, watermelon knife, off-road vehicle, handgun—exactly five.

Lu Liming, usually a chatterbox, was unusually quiet.  The silence unnerved Yu Zhi.  After storing the backpack and suitcase in his inventory, he asked, “What’s wrong? Why so silent all of a sudden?”

Lu Liming looked at him, eyes brimming with tears. “Brother, you’re too good to me.”

Yu Zhi paused. Asking you to pack is being good to you? he wondered. Was this another example of the young master’s eccentric ways?

Lu Liming sniffed, his mind awhirl. Brother Yu, who cared little for material things, was taking him home, even using the debt as a pretense. Such kindness…

Yu Zhi looked away, puzzled. Why did Lu Liming trust him so blindly? His ability was practically useless.  

After a moment, he concluded it must be because he’d saved someone during the main storyline task. Xiao Ming probably saw him as some kind of hero.

Or worse, Xiao Ming might have developed a crush on him.

Still unsure about this sudden shift in Lu Liming’s attitude, Yu Zhi said, “You’re driving to the capital.”

“Absolutely!” Lu Liming nodded, tears spilling down his cheeks. “Brother, anything you ask, I’ll do it. You, you’re like my second parents!”

Yu Zhi stared at him. Your preferences are definitely off. He checked the time. Over ten minutes had passed since he’d last seen Fu Suxi, but the explosions outside hadn’t stopped.  Where did he get so many bombs? Is that his ability?  He pushed the thought aside. He had no time to dwell on it.  He strode to the window, cautiously peeking through the curtains. Two streets away, smoke billowed, flames reaching for the sky.

“Boom—”

“Bang, bang—”

The explosions were getting closer. Fu Suxi was heading towards them. Yu Zhi’s eyelid twitched uncontrollably.  Just how unlucky could he be?

He was about to tell Lu Liming they needed to leave when a knock echoed from the door.

“Knock, knock, knock—”

Yu Zhi shot Lu Liming a look, silently urging him to stay quiet.  Outside, a familiar voice called out.

“Junior Yu, it’s me, Senior Brother Gao. I saw your note. I really need your help.”

It was Gao Yangyao, his voice hoarse and urgent. Yu Zhi crossed the room, heading towards the door.

“Please open the door,” Gao Yangyao pleaded.

Something about the voice felt wrong. Yu Zhi slowed, tiptoeing the last few steps.

“Junior Yu, it’s me, your brother Gao…”  The voice was even more frantic now, the words slurred, as if he had something in his mouth.

Yu Zhi didn’t open the door. Instead, he cautiously activated the visual doorbell.

The screen flickered to life, revealing Gao Yangyao’s face. He looked haggard, his usually neat hair disheveled. A thick blanket enveloped him, concealing everything below his neck.

Lu Liming, peering over Yu Zhi’s shoulder, saw the blanket and mouthed, Blanket, weapon?

Yu Zhi pressed his lips together, his eyes fixed on the screen. Even without a response, Gao Yangyao seemed to sense his presence. “Junior Yu, please open the door,” he pleaded, his voice strained. “Junior Yu…”

Something dripped from his mouth. Before Yu Zhi could get a clear look, Gao Yangyao wiped it away on the blanket and leaned closer to the electronic lock. His face, now close to the camera, contorted with a disturbing hunger. His nostrils flared as if he were savoring a delicious aroma.

“Junior Yu…” His tongue darted out, pushing a thick, colorless liquid from his mouth. It wasn’t blood. It was saliva.

Yu Zhi’s stomach churned. He remembered Doctor Chen in the hospital restroom. Within seconds, Gao Yangyao’s saliva overflowed, coating his chin. He extended his tongue, greedily licking the interface of the password lock. The screen filled with the grotesque image.

Nausea rising, Yu Zhi stumbled back and quickly activated his title.

[Title “Cockroach Slayer” has been activated.]

As if sensing danger, Gao Yangyao abruptly lurched backward. The blanket slipped to the ground, revealing his body.

A giant cockroach body.

Yu Zhi’s blood ran cold. What the hell?! Gao Yangyao’s human head was fused onto the monstrous insect, a sickly yellow-brown membrane connecting the two. A small head on a grotesque, segmented body with six enormous, glistening legs and a pulsating, yellowish abdomen.

Lu Liming retched. “Ugh—”

A cheerful chime sounded. “Ding dong—”

[Congratulations to both of you for triggering a side quest.]

The task details appeared on the system panel:

[Side Quest: I Am Not a Cockroach.]
[Quest Objective: Eliminate or purify the current area’s pollution source, defend H City!]
[Quest Reward: 1000 universal coins; random reward blind box.]
[Quest Failure: Unknown.]

Lu Liming, his face pale, looked at the rewards. “Brother Yu, ugh… are we going to kill that ugh… cockroach ugh…?”

Yu Zhi, unable to stomach the sight of the creature or Lu Liming’s reaction, quickly looked away. “Kill it and run!” he said, his voice tight. One must have self-awareness and know when to retreat! he thought. This damn side quest, whoever wants it can have it!