Chapter 122
After a moment of silence, Lu Liming asked slowly, “Is there any other way?”
Yu Zhi replied, “There’s a more efficient one.”
Lu Liming immediately perked up.
Yu Zhi said flatly, “Go die right now.”
Lu Liming: “…………”
He knew it!
He let out a long, ghostly sigh, patted Yu Zhi’s shoulder—only to get a palm full of blood—then awkwardly withdrew his hand. “Brother Yu, I get it.”
“Death and all that… it’s just one part of your plan to save the world.”
Yu Zhi turned to look at him. He met a pair of bright, puppy-like eyes. After hesitating for a moment, he didn’t say anything to ruin the mood.
It was the apocalypse.
If Xiao Ming could stay happy for one more day, then that was one more day.
He should learn from him too. Be optimistic—
It’s not that big a deal. He wasn’t dead yet.
Yu Zhi slowly exhaled and looked at the barrage.
[User “Strongest King” supports your calm acceptance plan and hopes you execute it immediately.]
[User “Bronze Player” admires your negativity and supports your death.]
[User “Rich Young Master Tyrant” thinks you make sense and tipped 0.1 Universal Coins.]
[User “Scarecrow’s Straw” viciously curses you to die soon.]
[User “Salad Pancake” is curious about your world-saving plan and tipped 20 Universal Coins.]
Yu Zhi watched for a while.
Most comments revolved around his “bravery” and “acceptance,” or Lu Liming’s phrase “saving the world.”
Not a single one mentioned that Yan Yang’s contamination instance was Meteor’s punishment task.
They had known all along.
After Meteor’s report was approved, the system must have informed the livestream audience what Meteor’s punishment would be. That’s how they knew Meteor was creating contamination instances.
Yu Zhi blinked, recalling how the system had notified him of the report result.
The system had said—
[About the same as yours.]
Yu Zhi: “???”
How was that “about the same”?!
“System.”
The system stayed silent, extremely vigilant.
“System.”
Still playing dead.
Yu Zhi guessed as much and sneered. “System, I think I might have been contaminated.”
Before the system could react, Lu Liming rushed closer. “What? Brother Yu, you’ve been contaminated?!”
Yu Zhi corrected him. “I think I might have.”
Then added, “It might be related to Guo Qiang, Chen Tingting, Jiang Shengnan, and Yan Yang.”
Lu Liming looked confused.
The system, secretly observing, understood perfectly.
—Related to those pollution sources. Related to the hidden task.
“….”
Only now did the system belatedly realize that when Yu Zhi had pressured and persuaded it—convincing it to monitor whether collecting pollution source corpses would trigger contamination—he had another goal entirely.
It, H0516, had become Yu Zhi’s 24-hour private customer service.
Once again, the system experienced what humans called “everything going black before the eyes.”
The contract had been signed. No room for negotiation.
Yu Zhi, you scheming human!
“H0516?”
Hearing his own designation, the system reluctantly responded. “After testing, you have not been contaminated.”
Yu Zhi curled his lips into a half-smile. “Meteor’s punishment task was to create a contamination instance. Ours was timed running.”
“That’s what you call ‘about the same’?”
The system replied stiffly, “It is about the same.”
“Oh,” Yu Zhi said.
The system waited.
And waited.
No follow-up.
Its sense of unease grew.
Yu Zhi quiet meant Yu Zhi plotting.
Finally, unable to bear it, the system asked, “And?”
Yu Zhi said lazily, “Nothing. You said it’s about the same. Punishment tasks are set by you. What can a normal human like me do?”
“That’s not the same at all,” Lu Liming muttered, then leaned in and whispered, “Brother Yu… does the system favor Meteorite Biotech?”
System: “……I can hear you.”
Lu Liming cleared his throat and asked loudly, “You wouldn’t favor Meteorite Biotech, would you?”
“It doesn’t,” Yu Zhi shook his head. “It’s not human. It wouldn’t do shady little tricks like that. If it says ‘about the same,’ then it truly believes they’re about the same.”
Lu Liming thought for a moment. “So in the system’s view, creating a contamination instance and making us run are equal in difficulty?”
“Not difficulty.” Yu Zhi lifted his eyelids and looked at the ruins of the resettlement zone. “Purpose.”
“The purpose of both punishment tasks is testing.”
Timed running tested their physical capacity.
Creating a contamination instance tested Meteorite Biotech’s capability.
Yu Zhi fell into thought.
After completing the timed run, the system’s reward had been revealing their physical condition.
So what would Meteor receive after completing theirs?
The system, noticing his silence, replayed his earlier words and finally realized—
His “about the same” question had been a probe.
It exhaled in relief.
Probing was better than causing chaos.
Thousands probe the system.
Only Yu Zhi specializes in chaos.
It perfunctorily repeated a familiar line: “Please act proactively and complete your tasks.”
Yu Zhi snapped back to attention and saw the barrage scrolling wildly.
[User “momo” is curious about your plan and tipped 30 Universal Coins.]
[User “Electronic Wooden Fish” suspects ulterior motives and hopes you’ll be honest.]
[User “Velvet Latte” believes you have hidden intentions and anticipates your actions.]
[User “Love Peace” asks whether you’re preparing to retaliate against a company and tipped 20 Universal Coins.]
Yu Zhi raised a brow, about to speak—
A figure approached from the corner of his eye.
He turned.
It was Lin Xiangyuan.
Lin Xiangyuan hadn’t noticed them at first. Only after catching the smell of blood did he look down—and freeze.
“Brother Yu? Xiao Ming? You haven’t gone back to the Bureau?”
Yu Zhi frowned. “We can leave?”
“Yeah,” Lin Xiangyuan nodded. “Cleanup’s basically done. The rest is just finishing touches. You two should head back and rest.”
He looked around. No one was paying attention to them—or dared to. Scratching his head, he said, “Get in the vehicle first. I’ll arrange someone to send you back.”
Yu Zhi nodded and walked toward the armored vehicle.
Lu Liming instinctively followed—
Only to be grabbed by Lin Xiangyuan. “Where are you going?”
“With Brother Yu, obviously.”
“Director Fu will definitely be in his car. Don’t go crowding it today,” Lin Xiangyuan whispered. “He seems in a good mood. Be careful he doesn’t make an example of you.”
“Earlier today he even forced me and Yan Yang to act gay together. Didn’t play matchmaker, and Yan Yang still had an accident…”
At the word “gay,” Lu Liming stared at Lin Xiangyuan’s hand gripping him. “Holy shit. You’re gay?”
Lin Xiangyuan gave him a strange look. “Yeah? Aren’t you?”
Lu Liming almost said yes—but remembered his ex-boyfriend persona. “I’m only gay for Brother Yu.”
Lin Xiangyuan looked at him in speechless disbelief. “You really aren’t afraid of dying.”
Still thinking about Brother Yu.
At the word “die,” Lu Liming immediately applied what he’d learned. “Brother Yu said to be brave.”
Lin Xiangyuan blinked.
Lu Liming added solemnly, “Be brave—worst case, you die.”
“……”
Lin Xiangyuan shoved him into a vehicle. “Get in.”
—
Yu Zhi saw Lu Liming being assigned to another vehicle but didn’t dwell on it. He buckled his seatbelt.
He waited.
Fu Suxi didn’t get in.
Neither did the driver.
Yu Zhi glanced out the window.
In the distance, Fu Suxi was speaking with Lin Xiangyuan, occasionally glancing toward the armored vehicle—clearly giving instructions. It wouldn’t end soon.
Yu Zhi withdrew his gaze and checked his task panel.
Main quest: completed.
Side quest: completed.
Hidden quest: progressed.
He casually asked, “System. I completed my main quest today. Side quest too. Even the hidden quest advanced.”
“System, I’ve been proactive today, right?”
The system hesitated. “Yes.”
Yu Zhi leaned back lazily. “Physically proactive. And psychologically reflective.”
Reflective?
The system instantly entered high-alert mode.
They were not on heart-to-heart terms.
Yu Zhi sighed theatrically. “I realized I misunderstood you. You weren’t shielding Meteorite Biotech. You weren’t colluding.”
“Everything you do is for Earth. For humanity’s only home.”
The familiar tone made the system increasingly uneasy.
Here it comes. The chaos tone.
Yu Zhi continued gently, “I misunderstood Meteor too.”
“Pollution is unstoppable. Their approach—seeking common ground while reserving differences—is understandable. They’re completing tasks while attempting to escape them. Guided by you, striving to survive.”
“Am I right, System?”
Silence.
Yu Zhi smiled. “We all know Meteor is creating instances. No need to play dead.”
The system stiffened and immediately reported the statement upward. After receiving confirmation that there was no issue, it replied, “Please act proactively and complete your tasks!”
“You just confirmed something, didn’t you?” Yu Zhi said mildly. “I’ve been proactive in every possible way.”
Silence.
He stared into empty space.
“You say there’s nothing wrong with the system. Nothing wrong with Meteor’s actions.”
“So here’s the question.”
“Why did my report against Meteor succeed?”
The system froze.
Because you were stirring shit?!
Yu Zhi continued, righteous and indignant:
“They’re clearly carrying out your plan. Serving the system, the livestream audience, the entire Earth.”
“And you arbitrarily judged them wrong.”
“That’s chilling.”
“If your heart is that cold, will Meteor dare to act again?”
System: “……”
[User “Smimallow” admires your slick tongue and tipped 10 Universal Coins.]
[User “National-Level Humanoid Weapon” praises your shameless fabrication and tipped 20 Universal Coins.]
[User “CyberBodhisattva” applauds your distortion of facts and joins you in questioning the system.]
The system was numb.
One moment he reports Meteor.
The next he questions the report result.
It finally snapped.
“What are you trying to pull now?!”
Yu Zhi said calmly, “I believe the previous ruling against Meteorite Biotech was flawed.”
System: “?”
Flawed? Since when?!
Yu Zhi revealed his true objective:
“I request to withdraw Meteorite Biotech’s hidden task and its reward.”
System: “???!”
“Y-you’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” Yu Zhi said solemnly. “I, Yu Zhi, take full responsibility for my actions.”
System: “……”
Are you insane?!
