Ch 183: The Cannon Fodder Won’t Play Along Anymore [QT]

Gu Zhao was amused by him.

He thought Mu Xing was truly peculiar.

He had spoken of something so enormous, enough to make anyone tense, yet he himself seemed not to care. And now, about to meet someone who to ordinary people would absolutely count as a great figure, he showed not the slightest hint of nervousness. In fact, he even had the leisure to worry about his own food and drink.

This wasn’t a false display of calm—he really wasn’t nervous, nor was he afraid.

Gu Zhao said, “That’s not for me to decide. You can bring it up to them yourself when the time comes.”

So Mu Xing said no more.

After a while, he suddenly remembered—he hadn’t yet checked on the situation with the company where the original body had been working.

He recalled the company being quite good. When he fell ill, they had urged him to rest, promised to keep his position, and even gave him some money as a gesture of support.

Of course, much of that was because the original body had strong work abilities and was seen as a valued employee, but it still showed some human kindness.

Mu Xing made a phone call. His team leader answered immediately and said, “Mu Xing, your family has already told me about your condition. Don’t worry, just take good care of your health and rest. Whenever you want to return, we’ll always welcome you.”

Mu Xing: …Family?

When he hung up, Gu Zhao explained, “We’ve already taken care of things with your company and landlord.”

Since they were taking Mu Xing away, of course they would wrap up the loose ends.

Mu Xing let out a sigh of admiration. “Your efficiency is really something.”

It was indeed a relief.

Before long they arrived at the airport, where someone was waiting for them. Mu Xing boarded a plane to the capital with the group.

Fortunately, he didn’t develop a fever on the flight. Although he believed that even if an accident occurred Gu Zhao and his people could handle it, avoiding trouble was always best.

After landing, they got into a car headed to their destination. A different driver was at the wheel now. Gu Zhao sat in the front passenger seat, Mu Xing in the back with another man beside him.

This one, unlike Gu Zhao’s reserved demeanor, was a chatterbox named Yu Wei.

From the moment they set off, Yu Wei’s mouth hadn’t stopped. “Mr. Mu Xing—it feels too formal to call you that, can I just use your name? Mu Xing, do you really have superpowers? Besides teleportation, do you have any other abilities? The first time you discovered it, weren’t you shocked?…”

Mu Xing, even when not feverish lately, had been weak and lacking in energy. After days of eating nothing but congee in the hospital, he was even more drained.

With Yu Wei chattering nonstop by his ear, he sighed. “Mr. Yu Wei, if I had any other abilities, the very first thing I’d do would be to shut your mouth.”

Only then did Yu Wei notice his weary expression. Remembering the file he had read—that this man had been running a recurring fever for over a month, mostly bedridden yet never truly resting—he felt guilty. He zipped his lips with a hand gesture and went quiet.

Unexpectedly, Mu Xing didn’t develop a fever again for the entire trip.

When he got out of the car, he touched his forehead in surprise and realized something—could it be that his awakening period had ended?

He followed Gu Zhao and the others to meet someone.

It was a man in his sixties, hair white but spirit strong, his sharp eyes still full of vitality.

He looked at Mu Xing and spoke gently. “So you are young friend Mu Xing.”

Although the original body had been nothing more than a company worker who cared little for politics or current events, this face—often seen in national ceremonies and on the news—was still somewhat familiar.

Mu Xing thought for a moment. “General Tian?”

The old General Tian motioned for him to sit. Gu Zhao poured tea for the two of them and sat aside.

General Tian said, “Your situation, and what you said, Gu Zhao has already reported to me. But right now, there’s no evidence for your claims. We cannot fully believe you. You must understand—something this enormous, if we truly were to take measures, it would require an immense mobilization of resources and manpower.”

If the day Mu Xing predicted came and nothing happened, who would bear such a loss?

Mu Xing set down his teacup and looked at him. “You want evidence, but I have none. The only proof I can offer is myself.”

The old general studied the young man, whose gaze was clear and unwavering. And he heard him say, “I too hope that what I’ve said is nothing but a lie.”

His heart was moved. At last he told Gu Zhao, “Take young friend Mu Xing back.”

Gu Zhao acknowledged the order and escorted Mu Xing away.

Seeing Mu Xing quiet, Gu Zhao thought he was troubled. He explained, “What you said was too major, too unbelievable. It’s normal that those above can’t make a decision right away.”

Snapped from his thoughts, Mu Xing gave an “ah” and only then realized what Gu Zhao meant.

He shook his head. “Don’t misunderstand. I wasn’t dwelling on it.”

Gu Zhao glanced at him.

Mu Xing spoke naturally. “I’ve already done everything I could. The choice is yours to make.”

“Then what were you just thinking about?”

Mu Xing replied, “I was just realizing—I haven’t had a fever for ten hours. That hasn’t happened once in over a month. Could it be my awakening period has passed?”

He could hardly be blamed for not knowing. In the original story, the original body had been nothing but cannon fodder, captured by the Zero Organization before he even awakened, and from then on treated as nothing more than a specimen for research.

Because of fears about his abilities, the original host had been constantly injected with sedatives, spending most of his time in a muddled, half-conscious state, unable to move.

In that condition, there was nothing for Mu Xing to use as a reference.

Gu Zhao brought Mu Xing to a house.

Seeing how Gu Zhao input the password with practiced ease, Mu Xing was puzzled.

Gu Zhao explained, “Given your special circumstances, you’ll need to live here for now. I, Yu Wei, and Qin Ying will be stationed nearby to provide protection.” And surveillance.

The door opened, and sure enough, there were already two people sitting in the living room, a man and a woman.

Mu Xing had already met Yu Wei before. The woman with short hair, sharp features, and striking, handsome beauty had to be Qin Ying.

Mu Xing greeted them.

It was a detached villa, simply but warmly decorated. The first floor was the living area, the second the sleeping quarters, with a particularly large terrace full of flowers and greenery.

“What a beautiful house,” Mu Xing remarked after making a round.

He asked, “Am I allowed to leave this house normally?”

Gu Zhao said, “You’re not a prisoner. You can go anywhere you like, but we’ll need to accompany you.” Then he added, “Of course, during this time, it’s best not to leave the country.”

He handed Mu Xing a card.

Mu Xing looked at him in confusion.

Yu Wei shouted enviously, “Salary! Salary! Not even working and you still get paid—I want that too!”

It took Mu Xing a while to figure it out.

He had now been given the title of “Special National Task Force Consultant (Trainee)” and even had a proper work ID.

Room and board covered, salary paid, with no work required—other than lying around for all sorts of medical tests.

And it came with personal bodyguards!

Holding his brand-new salary card, Mu Xing sat down on the sofa, delighted. Sure enough, choosing to cooperate with the state was the right decision.

The whole day passed without another fever. Mu Xing guessed that his awakening period must have finally ended.

But he relaxed too soon.

Not long after dinner, he went back to his room to rest.

This body grew tired easily, but considering the past month of illness, Gu Zhao and the others understood completely.

None of them expected that shortly after Mu Xing fell asleep, he began to burn with fever.

This time, he truly dreamed.

It was the scene from the original storyline where the Zero Organization’s headquarters was destroyed.

The original host could barely open his eyes by then, his body soaked in life-sustaining nutrient solutions—he probably didn’t even look human anymore.

He heard familiar voices.

Yu Wei. Gu Zhao.

“Major! This person…” came a voice heavy with pity. “He spoke Chinese just now… and asked me to kill him.”

“These damned beasts!”

Chaos echoed around him. Inside, he thought in confusion: Why haven’t you killed me yet? Hurry up and kill me, end this torment.

At last, silence fell.

He drifted into a god’s-eye view.

He saw the familiar Fengyang City, where the original host had grown up.

Gu Zhao stood with Yu Wei and another unfamiliar man.

They held flowers, placing them before a spotless tombstone.

On it was affixed a photo of a young man with a warm smile.

So they had not only avenged him but also uncovered his true identity, erected a gravestone for him, and returned his ashes to rest at home.

…

“Major!”

Qin Ying and the others were startled awake in the middle of the night.

When they rushed out of their rooms, they nearly froze in shock: on the terrace and within ten meters around the villa, all the plants had grown wildly. Their branches and leaves were all stretching toward one direction.

Mu Xing’s room.

The door to Mu Xing’s room was already covered in creeping vines, some even blooming with clusters of small white flowers.

It looked beautiful, but no one was in the mood to admire it.

“What… what is this?” Yu Wei rubbed his eyes, staring at the scene as if it were a movie effect.

Fortunately, this area wasn’t open to the public; otherwise, such a phenomenon might have caused panic.

Whether they called out or pounded on the door, Mu Xing didn’t respond.

Gu Zhao cautiously approached the door. Yu Wei couldn’t help shouting, “Boss, be careful!”

Gu Zhao signaled that he knew what he was doing. As he got closer, he realized the vines weren’t hostile. One even playfully twined around his hand.

For some reason, Gu Zhao wanted to laugh, remembering Mu Xing’s grimace when he complained about not wanting more porridge.

He reached the door. It wasn’t locked.

He pushed it open—and was greeted by a burst of blossoms.

“Boss…”

Yu Wei stared in shock.

He had clearly seen the boss push open Mu Xing’s door—but in the next instant, the boss was standing several meters away, at the western end of the second floor.

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