Chapter 6#
Chapter 6#
“The surface of Blue Star is unfit for human habitation” is a lie.
The truth is, “Low-tier humans are not qualified to live on the surface of Blue Star.”
That’s right—the billions of Earthlings who actually live underground are all low-tier humans.
Including the “prestigious Zhao family” that dominates City C.
Zhao Xing had known this for thirteen years.
Thirteen years ago, Zhao Xing, as usual, took Luo Mingshan on an “adventure” and accidentally stumbled upon this place.
Zhao Xing and Luo Mingshan crawled forward from that vent, and after about ten minutes or so, they finally saw a glimmer of light.
Countless tales of dragons and warriors echoed in little Zhao Xing’s mind.
Little Zhao Xing’s face lit up with excitement, his eyes gleaming as if he’d discovered a treasure.
He shushed Luo Mingshan, turned off the flashlight clenched between his teeth, and crawled eagerly toward that faint light.
The light came from below the ventilation duct. Through the fine wire mesh, Zhao Xing saw a luxurious, brightly lit office.
Inside the office were a prison guard and a man and woman wearing peculiar outfits.
They wore tight-fitting suits made of strange material, with translucent, curved electronic screens around their necks and wrists. They looked around, their faces undisguised with contempt for the place.
The woman said, “This place looks like an ancient Earth era from the movies—so backward! Huh, the air here is terrible; I feel like I’m getting a rash. Don’t these people get sick living underground long-term? Hey, what’s the average life expectancy here?”
The prison guard replied, “The average lifespan of Earthlings here is sixty-one years.”
“Horrifying,” the woman said, looking incredulous.
The man said, “Alright, stop complaining. We’re here for business.”
The man looked at the prison guard. “Are the people we need this year ready?”
The prison guard’s face was full of smiles, his tone fawning. “Ready, ready. One hundred and one heinous, unrepentant criminals, not worth regretting if they die. You can do whatever you want with them…”
The man said, “Good work. I need to inspect the goods.”
“This way, please.” The guard pushed open the door and made a “please” gesture. His voice lowered slightly, carrying a hint of expectation. “By the way, about transferring me to the surface…”
“Click.” The lights in the office went out, and the guard’s voice gradually faded.
The world sank into absolute darkness.
Zhao Xing hadn’t even recovered from the shock when little Luo Luo beside him let out an unbearable whimper.
Zhao Xing hastily turned on the flashlight and, with practiced ease, hugged Luo Mingshan, gently patting his back. “Luo Luo, don’t be afraid. Brother has turned on the light. It’s not dark anymore.”
Luo Mingshan was still trembling, so little Zhao Xing blew on various parts of his body and whispered soothingly, “Hoo, hoo, Luo Luo doesn’t hurt anymore. The pain has flown away.”
Then he gave his cheek a smacking kiss.
Many people here suffered from nyctophobia.
Luo Mingshan had the most severe case.
According to him, whenever the power went out and the world was plunged into darkness, he felt terrible pain—like little bugs crawling out of his bones, gnawing at his flesh and skin.
Zhao Xing held him for about three minutes before Luo Mingshan recovered.
Zhao Xing said, “Luo Luo, does it still hurt?”
Luo Mingshan said, “No more pain.”
Zhao Xing finally let him go. Under the flashlight’s beam, his eyes grew even brighter. “Luo Luo, did you hear that? They were talking about the surface! Different from what the books say. People live on the surface too.”
Luo Mingshan didn’t quite understand and asked slowly, “Is the surface good?”
Zhao Xing said, “It must be good, right? Otherwise, why would that guard uncle want to be transferred up there?”
They crawled back, talking as they went.
Zhao Xing said, “The surface must be really beautiful—lots of flowers, lots of grass, and maybe even butterflies!”
Luo Mingshan asked, “What’s a butterfly?”
Zhao Xing said, “A kind of beautiful thing that flies. I’ll show you Mom’s book when we get back. There might even be a sun up there—not the fake sun in Sun Square, but a real sun!”
Luo Mingshan asked, “Will it be very bright?”
Zhao Xing said, “Yes, and a real sun never loses power! Luo Luo won’t have to be afraid of the dark anymore!”
Luo Mingshan said, “Wow!”
Zhao Xing said, “When Brother grows up, I’ll take you up there to explore, okay?”
Luo Mingshan said, “Okay! Brother Ah Xing, let’s pinky swear!”
“Pinky swear, a hundred years won’t change…”
Zhao Xing pulled himself out of the memory.
He stubbed out the remaining stub of his cigarette on a piece of scrap iron in front of him and turned to leave.
.
The flashlight’s beam and Zhao Xing’s shadow gradually faded away.
Just before the light disappeared completely, another faint glow flickered on in the corner.
Luo Mingshan stepped out from the shadows, stared at the still-smoldering cigarette butt for two seconds, then extended his long, fair index and middle fingers to pick it up.
He brought the cigarette to his lips and took a puff, imitating Zhao Xing’s manner.
“Cough, cough.”
Luo Mingshan frowned, wiped away the tears from coughing, and found the thing bitter, astringent, and harsh.
So this is what Zhao Xing likes now?
Weird.
Take another puff.
Though he wasn’t used to it, thinking that Zhao Xing enjoyed it made the act of smoking oddly interesting for Luo Mingshan.
After three or four breaths, Luo Mingshan had already learned.
He lowered his eyes, slender fingers holding the half-smoked cigarette, his expression languid and relaxed. He flicked off the ash with a practiced, elegant motion, having nearly perfected Zhao Xing’s demeanor.
He even squinted, unconsciously picking up some of Zhao Xing’s characteristic roguishness.
Finally, he imitated Zhao Xing and stubbed the finished cigarette out on the iron sheet.
Perfect.
Having completed the act of smoking, Luo Mingshan turned his head to glance at the old vent, then turned around and started walking back, holding his flashlight.
.
Zhao Xing wandered around No. 7 Academy, feeling a bit idle. After some thought, he decided he might as well go to class.
Being late deducted 0.5 repentance points; skipping class deducted 1 point. If he went now, he could still save 0.5.
When Zhao Xing walked into Class 109, the second period had just begun. The students were taking an oath under the teacher’s lead, finishing the last line of the pledge.
“…I have violated the Earthlings’ Code of Conduct. I repent. I acknowledge my mistake.”
There were about twenty-something people in the class. Their voices were loud, unified, and forceful, and every one of them looked dead serious.
But if Zhao Xing wasn’t mistaken, the entire class consisted of unrepentant “A-level reformees.”
Zhao Xing scanned around and spotted two familiar faces.
Luo Mingshan and his roommate Zhang Yue.
Zhao Xing raised an eyebrow.
Luo Luo’s here too.
Ah, right—he got in for excessive self-defense. It made sense that he thought he wasn’t wrong.
After everyone sat down, Zhao Xing knocked on the doorframe. “Report.”
The robot teacher scanned him with its red eyes. “Enter.”
Zhao Xing looked at it with some curiosity.
So the rumors were true—all A-level class teachers were replaced by robots.
Since A-level reformees were unrepentant and vicious, teachers’ lives couldn’t be guaranteed, so robots did the teaching, operated by humans behind the scenes.
There were quite a few empty seats. There was one to Luo Mingshan’s left, and Zhao Xing headed straight for it.
But when he reached the seat, his footsteps suddenly stopped. He abruptly changed direction and went to Luo Mingshan’s right.
Sitting to Luo Mingshan’s right was a burly man nearly two meters tall, with a face full of fat and a neck covered in tattoos. Whether during the oath or now, he kept staring at Luo Mingshan. He licked his lips with a look of determination and even started moving his hand leftward, aiming to touch Luo Mingshan’s fair fingers resting on the desk.
“Knock, knock.”
Zhao Xing tapped twice on his desk, his tone lazy. “Get up. Give me your seat.”
The other students in the class all turned to look. Even the robot teacher paused in flipping through the lesson plan.
The burly man hadn’t expected anyone to be so arrogant right after arriving. He was stunned for a moment before reacting.
His voice was low, with barely contained anger. “There are other seats.”
Zhao Xing said, “No. I want this one.”
The burly man’s fists clenched with a crack, veins pulsing on his face. But glancing at the robot’s red surveillance eyes, he gritted his teeth and stood up.
He wasn’t trying to swallow his pride—it just wasn’t the right time. Once class was over, he would definitely, definitely drag this guy to the restroom…
With thoughts of how Zhao Xing would soon look after a beating, the burly man walked to Luo Mingshan’s left and sat down.
But before his butt even hit the seat, a jacket was tossed onto the desk.
Zhao Xing drawled, “You can’t sit here either. Get lost.”
The burly man’s eyes blazed with fury. “What the hell do you mean?!”
Zhao Xing shrugged. “Nothing much. You stink—haven’t showered in days, right? So I want you to sit farther away.”
“Fuck!” The man’s anger ignited instantly. He cursed loudly, raised his fist, and swung it at Zhao Xing’s face.
From the moment the burly man’s first punch missed, he never got another chance to strike.
What followed was entirely a one-sided beating by Zhao Xing.
After five minutes, the burly man collapsed to the ground, twitching, unable to even get up.
Zhao Xing blew on his reddened right hand, gave it a light shake, then casually sat down to Luo Mingshan’s left.
The classroom fell dead silent.
“Ding—”
“Zhao Xing, deduct 20 points. Balance: 74.5 repentance points.”
“Cao Cong, deduct 10 points. Balance: 8.7 repentance points.”
Hearing the electronic prompt, the twitching Cao Cong on the floor twitched even more violently, as if he might die of anger.
“Unfair,” Zhao Xing muttered with a pout. “He started it. I was the victim. Why do I get deducted more?”
So shameless!
So arrogant!
So brazen!
Everyone looked at Cao Cong, who had been beaten beyond recognition on the ground, then at Zhao Xing, who didn’t have a single scratch on his face, and silently screamed in their hearts!
The robot teacher’s mechanical arm scanned Cao Cong’s body, confirmed he was not in mortal danger, then turned and walked back to the podium. The electronic voice that followed sounded cold and indifferent: “Silence. Continue the lesson.”
Only then did Cao Cong slowly and miserably pick himself up off the floor, found a seat farthest from Zhao Xing, and sat down.
Luo Mingshan’s eyes sparkled. He opened his mouth to speak to Zhao Xing, then remembered Zhao Xing’s warning and obediently shut it.
After a moment, a note was passed to Zhao Xing.
“That guy was the one harassing me. Brother Zhao, thank you.”
Zhao Xing snorted.
Damn, this little idiot sure thought highly of himself. Did he really think Zhao Xing was helping Luo Mingshan by beating someone up? He did it purely to stir up trouble and fast-track becoming one of the “101 heinous criminals.”
But…
Zhao Xing stared at the note, feeling something was off.
The handwriting on the note was neat and delicate, every stroke careful and earnest.
—Exactly like five-year-old Luo Mingshan’s handwriting.
Over ten years had passed. Had he never practiced his handwriting? How could it still be so childish?
But Zhao Xing couldn’t be bothered to think too much. He crumpled the note and tossed it back, then lay down on the desk to sleep.
Actually, class discipline here was pretty loose. Points were only deducted for being late, leaving early, or skipping class.
In class, whether you slept, talked, or spaced out, no points were deducted. But all these behaviors were recorded and entered into the daily performance system, which contributed to the semester evaluation.
Of course, Zhao Xing’s main goal was to get the lowest possible score in the ideological evaluation and be selected for the “Unrepentant, Heinous Criminals Group 101.”
But as soon as Zhao Xing lay down, he felt warm breath approaching.
He frowned and opened his eyes to see Luo Mingshan’s face inches away.
Zhao Xing’s mind went blank for a moment.
Actually, it wasn’t surprising Luo Mingshan attracted so many perverts. He was genuinely good-looking.
Living underground for so long, even with occasional trips to Sun Square to bask in the “fake sun,” most people had a sickly pallor.
But Luo Mingshan’s skin was the palest shade of all, his features exquisite beyond reproach, his eyelashes long and thick. All of this gave him an almost unreal beauty—like an expensive, delicate doll in a shop window…
Zhao Xing snapped back to reality. He slapped his hand over Luo Mingshan’s face and pushed him away. “What are you doing?”
Luo Mingshan broke his silence mode, staring at Zhao Xing’s lips. “Brother Zhao, how did your lip get cut?”
It wasn’t from the fight just now; Luo Mingshan was sure.
And it was on the lower lip—like… a bite.
Luo Mingshan lowered his eyelids, thinking quietly.
He refused to entertain the possibility that someone else bit it and directly concluded Zhao Xing did it to himself.
Under what circumstances would someone bite that part of their lip?
When enduring pain.
It wasn’t there this morning, so it must have happened during the sorting…
Luo Mingshan’s head snapped up, his voice a little cold. “Did you get electrocuted?”
His tone and expression were nothing like Luo Luo’s. He hadn’t even called him “Brother Zhao.”
Zhao Xing looked at Luo Mingshan with some surprise.
Luo Mingshan quickly adjusted his expression, his voice softening. “Brother Zhao, does it hurt? I have medicine. Want me to put some on?”
Zhao Xing actually hated pain, but after just being electrocuted, his body was still a bit numb, so he didn’t think the lip hurt much. If Luo Mingshan hadn’t pointed it out, he wouldn’t have even known it was cut.
But Luo Mingshan had already taken out the ointment, so Zhao Xing took it.
To his surprise, it smelled nice—sweet, without any medicinal scent.
“Brother Zhao, you’re applying it to the wrong spot,” Luo Mingshan reminded him. “A little to the left.”
Zhao Xing moved his hand left.
Luo Mingshan said, “No, a little to the right…”
Too troublesome. Forget it.
Zhao Xing tossed the ointment onto the desk.
Luo Mingshan picked up the ointment, his voice soft. “Brother Zhao, let me help you, okay?”
When they were kids, Zhao Xing got hurt often, and Luo Mingshan always helped him apply medicine.
Zhao Xing nodded indifferently.
The pink ointment was squeezed onto Luo Mingshan’s pale fingertip, then gently smoothed over Zhao Xing’s lip.
—Brother Ah Xing’s mouth is hard, but his lips are really soft.
—Damn, this little idiot is a guy; why are his fingers so tender and soft, with zero calluses? Utterly ridiculous.
Both of them were lost in their thoughts.
After applying the ointment, Luo Mingshan leaned in like when they were kids and blew softly on Zhao Xing’s mouth, whispering, “Hoo, hoo, pain flies away.”
Then he gave him a light kiss on the cheek.
Zhao Xing froze.
“Slap!”
The next second, Zhao Xing shoved him away, standing up so abruptly that his stool toppled over.
The tips of his ears flushed red with embarrassment as he roared, “What the hell is wrong with you?!”
Luo Mingshan looked up at Zhao Xing, dazed and confused, as if he had no idea what he’d done wrong.