Chapter 30
“I often dream about killing a white bird,” Joe said. “The bird in my dream is different from the huge bird-beast that we learned about in the community; it’s very small, about the size of my palm.”
To illustrate, Joe opened his hand and compared it to the size of the bird.
“I didn’t want to kill that little white bird. I really liked it, and I had finally caught it. I was afraid it would fly away, so I kept holding onto it,” Joe extended both his hands, clasping them together. “Like this, I kept holding it, and by the time I realized, I had accidentally crushed it to death.”
Joe lowered his hands, and a deep sense of sadness and regret appeared in his azure eyes.
“Wasn’t this dream too terrifying? But for some reason, after the test person heard about it, her expression turned very unpleasant, and I quickly received a notification that I didn’t pass the test,” Joe sounded disappointed.
Shen Yuzhe hurriedly asked, “What happens if you don’t pass? Were you sent here directly?”
“No,” Joe smiled and replied, “The administrator said they would take me for treatment, and then I was sent to a strange place where I saw giants for the first time. There were many transparent compartments nearby, and they held people who, like me, didn’t pass the test. Everyone was in a panic, some of them broke down on the spot, screaming in fear…”
Shen Yuzhe didn’t interrupt, and his emotions were fluctuating intensely at this point.
If he guessed correctly, these tests were likely meant to determine whether Joe and the others could recall anything from before their “awakening.” They would investigate through associations created by images, tastes, and unconscious memories from dreams.
The white bird Joe mentioned probably wasn’t just a simple dream but an actual experience he had.
The place where he was taken for treatment afterward was most likely a facility for memory cleansing—similar to what Jay and Lily had experienced. It was a “rebirth point.”
These speculations sent shivers down Shen Yuzhe’s spine.
Joe mentioned that he was scared at that time, but he acted relatively calm. Two giants came in, one of whom was Zoe.
Then he was brought here. Initially, he tried to make friends in this place when Zoe wasn’t as twisted as he was now, and he set up “games,” established combat rules, and started making them compete and fight against each other. Everything changed after that…
Due to the heavy topic, both of them lost interest in watching the matches and strolled to the nearby “river” as they continued their conversation.
Shen Yuzhe asked, “Do you still dream now?”
“I do,” Joe kicked the sand beneath his feet and replied, “And I still often dream about that white bird that caused me to fail the test.”
Joe looked up at the sky, his expression filled with longing. “Actually, since I’ve been conscious, I’ve never seen that kind of bird even once. If I could go outside, I would really like to see it…”
Shen Yuzhe was just about to tell Joe about his speculation regarding dreams when a familiar voice sounded behind him with an air of triumph. “Ah-ha! I finally found you!”
Shen Yuzhe turned around and saw Little Wolf looking excitedly at him.
“You cunning little guy, you dared to lie to me last time! Today, I’ll show you how formidable I am!” Little Wolf first displayed an intimidating posture and then added, “And tell that golden retriever next to you to stay out of this!”
Joe: “…” Golden retriever… Is he talking about me?
Joe was still baffled by the sudden turn of events when Shen Yuzhe gently pushed him aside.
“He’s coming for me; you don’t have to worry about me,” Shen Yuzhe didn’t want Joe to get involved.
Little Wolf sneered, “You’ve got some courage. Just don’t end up crying for help after I beat you up!”
Without waiting for Joe to react, Little Wolf quickly pounced on Shen Yuzhe. Shen Yuzhe didn’t intend to be reckless, but he thought about his lack of awakened abilities and felt that this was an opportunity to experience some “stimulation.” The two rolled on the ground, and Shen Yuzhe gritted his teeth to keep from making any sounds.
However, just as he was prepared to endure his opponent’s attack, Little Wolf’s nostrils flared, and his expression changed. He sprang back and maintained a slight distance from Shen Yuzhe, glaring at him in annoyance.
“You smell like that guy!” Little Wolf said.
Shen Yuzhe: “???”
Little Wolf stared at the prey that was within easy reach, wanting to approach but not daring to. He appeared agitated and restless.
Shen Yuzhe had a thought and asked, “Can you smell… Kai’s scent?”
Little Wolf wrinkled his nose, appearing threatened as if facing a formidable adversary. He took a couple of steps back and said with a hint of frustration, “Yeah! Damn it! You actually used his scent markings on you to intimidate me, how despicable!”
Joe: “???” What scent? What markings? Why do these words sound so suggestive?
However, Shen Yuzhe’s expression became serious because Little Wolf’s unusual sense of smell immediately made him think of the “abilities” that Kai had mentioned. He climbed to his feet and said to Little Wolf with a friendly tone, “Let’s talk it out.”
“Huh?” Little Wolf exaggerated his expression and said, “What kind of joke are you trying to play?”
Shen Yuzhe explained, “I didn’t intentionally deceive you. During that game, I did draw the gold card, and my partner at the time got the advanced card. Both cards were in my possession. I only showed you the advanced card because I was worried you might have some trick up your sleeve. Later, I heard you wanted the gold card to secure a day of free activity, and since the advanced card was of no use to me, I thought I’d give you the gold card after the game.”
He shrugged and continued, “But you didn’t keep your end of the deal either. You injured me and snatched the card before running away, didn’t you? You can’t blame me for not being fair. That’s why I gave the gold card to Kai, making him my bodyguard. You’ve smelled the scent on me, and that’s a fair trade.”
Little Wolf paused for a second, and surprisingly, he couldn’t find any counterarguments. However, he still felt a bit indignant. “Even if what you say makes sense, I’m still very angry!”
Shen Yuzhe said, “As you yourself said, you’d rather stay here than not get the gold card. I live in the tower, and you seem to be having a good time here these past few days. What’s there to be angry about?”
Little Wolf stared blankly, and after Shen Yuzhe’s words, he found himself questioning the source of his anger.
Indeed, this place was much larger than most of the Stevens’ homes, with many people, and there was no annoying redhead here.
Shen Yuzhe thought for a moment and continued to tempt him, “Actually, this club isn’t all that fun. I know of a much better place where you can truly be free.”
“Freedom” was what Little Wolf cared about the most. His eyes brightened upon hearing Shen Yuzhe’s words. “Where?”
Shen Yuzhe acted mysteriously, “I can’t tell you right away. You lied to me and even hit me. That place is a secret, not even the giants know about it. If it gets leaked, there won’t be any freedom left. I only share it with people I trust.”
Having piqued Little Wolf’s interest, Shen Yuzhe watched him become impatient. “Then how can I earn your trust?”
Shen Yuzhe stretched out his hand, and Little Wolf, with his muddy black paw, cautiously came forward to shake it.
After releasing their grip, Little Wolf couldn’t wait any longer. “Can we talk now?”
Shen Yuzhe glanced at him and said, “Not so fast. We have to start by being friends and evaluate each other for a while before we can discuss more.”
Little Wolf: “…”
At this point, the combat at the center of the base had already concluded, and the sound of the spectators leaving the area could be heard nearby. Shen Yuzhe knew he had to go back – Kai had imposed time restrictions on his outings, requiring him to return to the tower before the sandpit descended.
Although this condition was quite unreasonable, Shen Yuzhe had grown accustomed to the other’s domineering nature and couldn’t be bothered to argue.
As Shen Yuzhe left, Little Wolf grabbed Joe’s neck with his arm, threateningly, “Hey! Do you know about that place?”
Joe promptly shook his head, “I don’t.”
Little Wolf’s eyes rolled around, thinking that the guy called “Yu” was indeed quite formidable. Not only did he manage to get the strongest person in the base to serve as his bodyguard, but he also seemed to have everyone around him wrapped around his finger. Little Wolf had never really had “friends” before, so making one might be interesting, especially if he got to play with that guy.
That night, after returning to the tower, Shen Yuzhe shared what he had learned from Joe during the day and Little Wolf’s overly sensitive sense of smell with Kai. In truth, even if Shen Yuzhe hadn’t mentioned it, Kai had already been monitoring this man closely, observing his every move after Shen Yuzhe left the tower.
There was no immediate explanation for Joe’s situation, but the concept of scent marking brought up by Little Wolf piqued Shen Yuzhe’s curiosity. He grabbed his collar and sniffed himself. “What kind of marking did you put on me? Why can’t I smell anything?”
Kai’s eyes darkened, and he shifted his gaze away, neither answering nor showing any interest. He merely commented coldly, “You seem to get along easily with everyone.”
Shen Yuzhe was momentarily puzzled and said, “Don’t you think that knowing more capable people would be beneficial for our future escape? We, who don’t have any abilities, could use the extra help.”
“But it’s also troublesome,” Kai said as he got up to head upstairs.
Shen Yuzhe followed him and continued, “You’re used to going it alone, but for people like us without abilities, having an extra pair of hands means more strength.”
Kai sat cross-legged at the dining table, picked a coconut ball from the food they’d just received, the one Shen Yuzhe liked, and tossed it to him. He said, “You’re enough for me.”
Shen Yuzhe: “…”
After they finished eating, Shen Yuzhe found a piece of plant stem and began to doodle on the ground while contemplating the information they had gathered earlier in the day.
Joe’s description of the test was still puzzling, but the concept of scent marking mentioned by Little Wolf intrigued him. He sniffed his own collar and asked, “What kind of marking did you put on me? Why can’t I smell it?”
Kai’s eyes flashed briefly, and he gave Shen Yuzhe a cold look before turning away. He neither answered the question nor showed any interest in discussing it further. He commented, “You seem to get along easily with everyone.”
Shen Yuzhe was momentarily puzzled but continued, “Don’t you think that knowing more capable people would be beneficial for our future escape? We, who don’t have any abilities, could use the extra help.”
Kai got up and headed upstairs, and Shen Yuzhe followed. As they climbed, Shen Yuzhe continued to discuss the topic, “You’re used to going it alone, but for people like us without abilities, having an extra pair of hands means more strength.”
Kai sat down at the dining table, crossed his legs, and picked a coconut ball from their meal distribution. He tossed it to Shen Yuzhe and said, “You’re enough for me.”
Shen Yuzhe: “…”
After finishing their meal, Shen Yuzhe found a plant stem and began to doodle on the ground, analyzing the information they had gathered earlier that day.
Based on Kai’s description, Area M seemed to be quite large, while Joe’s description of the community starting with ‘D’ indicated that each one had around fifty people, making it relatively small.
Could it be possible that the communities starting with ‘D’ were all part of a larger Area M? And when all the Area Ms were combined, it might create a complete… mini-world!?
Shen Yuzhe’s eyes widened as he suddenly had an epiphany. However, he quickly realized that his neck was itching, and he was startled. Kai was actually licking him!
“!” Shen Yuzhe shrank his shoulders and stared at Kai. “What are you doing!?”
Kai explained seriously, “I’m making scent markings. Didn’t you ask me how I did it?”
Shen Yuzhe’s hair stood on end, and he exclaimed, “You did this before? How come I didn’t know?”
“I did it while you were asleep,” Kai replied, catching Shen Yuzhe’s hand as he tried to push him away. “It’s a way to protect you.”
Shen Yuzhe was left dumbfounded for a moment. He didn’t want to become accustomed to even stranger things through subtle influences.
“You don’t need to do this, actually…!” Shen Yuzhe muttered.
“You do,” Kai insisted. “It already proved effective today, didn’t it?”
Shen Yuzhe squinted his eyes and let out a soft hum. At this rate, he wouldn’t be surprised if he and Kai ended up doing “that” one day.
