What Does It Mean to Be Not Yet Recovered from a Serious Injury

“If you want to continue modifying your memories, just quietly say ‘Fill in the Gaps in the New Memory’ three times before drinking the potion.”

Feining’s words still echoed in Zhu Yan’s ears.

Sitting on the bed, Zhu Yan solemnly recited the “incantation” three times while holding the potion.

Just now, before Yang Zhanbai and Qi Yinming returned, he had furtively eaten a serving of char siu rice and enjoyed a blissfully hot shower.

He had bought the char siu rice before the lockdown. Since its origins would be difficult to explain, he had left it in his ring for quite some time.

Fortunately, the ring could keep things fresh, so it was still steaming when he took it out.

After coming out of this dungeon, he should go find The Art Student and clear out his stock.

The potion, originally blue, began to churn and turn pink.

Zhu Yan downed it in one gulp. Clinging to the last shred of his consciousness, he sent Yang Zhanbai a message saying he was sleepy and going to bed, then collapsed onto the mattress and passed out.

…

“I’m here. Officer Guan, have you eaten?”

It was eight in the morning.

Zhu Yan was still holding half of the sandwich he had stolen from the cafeteria last time and never finished. He hurriedly waved at Guan En, who was waiting by the school gate.

In truth, he was using a puppet. The half-eaten sandwich was merely a prop he had prepared to make his cosplay more convincing.

Guan En had arrived in a black sedan.

It was an official vehicle belonging to the Alliance. On its side was the emblem of “Blades and New Growth”: a sword held aloft by several vines, with a half-open flower bud blooming at the tip of each vine.

“Get in.” Guan En did not waste words. “For the next few days, you’ll train with the other members of the team.”

Zhu Yan had indeed slept wonderfully, and his well-rested mind was perfectly clear.

He opened the passenger-side door and could not help asking, “What kind of training? Where am I staying?”

Guan En glanced sideways at him.

Zhu Zeyu still had a trace of childishness in his appearance. His eyes were dark and bright, carrying the innocence and naivety characteristic of a boy his age.

It was a pity that once Jin Rongxu took a liking to someone’s ability, he would never let it escape his grasp.

Although Guan En did not know exactly what Jin Rongxu’s own ability was, over the years he had noticed that the man was deeply dissatisfied with the fact that abilities came with side effects.

So Jin Rongxu was probably extremely envious of the abilities possessed by Yang Zhanbai and Zhu Zeyu.

As for Director Jin’s previous comment that “the higher-ups have taken an interest in them,” the more Guan En observed the pair’s behavior, the more he felt that “taken an interest” was merely a euphemism.

“About your accommodation…”

In Jin Rongxu’s eyes, Zhu Zeyu was a dying man.

He was not going to arrange particularly good lodgings for someone like that.

Thinking of the deaths these two young men would soon face, Guan En felt a dull heaviness in his chest.

“…I’ve arranged a double room for you.”

This was probably the only compensation he could offer through his position.

Secretly arranging an empty double room was harmless. No one would care.

“Although it’s a double room, you won’t have a roommate.”

“If you need to stay here afterward,” Guan En paused, “I can reimburse the cost of your leave from West Mountain University.”

Oh.

There was no way the Human Alliance would reimburse something like that, right?

Zhu Yan asked, “You’re paying out of your own pocket, Officer Guan?”

Guan En choked slightly and lied.

“…The public account.”

“Officer Guan, what does the training involve?”

“Coordinating with your teammates,” Guan En explained. “How to maximize your efficiency after entering a dungeon…”

Guan En was not exactly lying. He had simply put a better spin on it.

In reality, there was only one part to the training: building up their endurance.

After thinking for a moment, he added, “The goal is to ensure that your mind and body won’t be easily harmed. But Captain Jin said yesterday that you were injured and physically weak, so he’s worried you won’t be able to withstand the intensity of the training.”

Guan En remembered the look on Jin Rongxu’s face in the office and decided not to repeat Jin Rongxu’s exact words.

Zhu Zeyu had angered Jin Rongxu yesterday. Given Jin Rongxu’s temperament, he would normally have dragged him over that very night.

But he had not. The reason was that “Zhu Zeyu is rather frail, and the condition we detected was extremely unstable. I’m afraid something might actually happen to him.”

Guan En hesitated.

“Anyway, you can just coast through this dungeon. Sit back and watch how the experts clear it.”

…

Zhu Yan was speechless.

As Guan En had said, he did not merely get to coast through the dungeon. He did not even need to put much effort into training.

Three days had passed since he moved into the Human Alliance dormitory.

Apart from going to the Strategic Materials Department to collect supplements that temporarily enhanced mental strength and physical enhancers from Crazy Happy Paradise, Zhu Yan had received no training notices whatsoever.

If he had not been required to eat three meals a day with his teammates at Guan En’s insistence, Zhu Yan truly would have thought they had forgotten about him.

He had figured it out.

Jin Rongxu had probably brought him here purely because his actions last time had infuriated him.

As for all those physical and mental enhancement supplements, they had gone straight into the puppet’s stomach, meaning they had essentially been wasted.

It was not that Zhu Yan did not want to drink them. He simply strongly suspected that his dormitory was under surveillance.

Under those circumstances, if he drank them with his real body, he would easily expose himself.

Besides, anything the Human Alliance could obtain, he, as a Hunter, could obtain as well.

“Tomorrow’s the dungeon.”

Across from Zhu Yan, the heavily muscled man said with a grin.

He was one of the members of Jin Rongxu’s team, Ma Dong. His personality seemed rather simple and honest.

After spending several days together, Zhu Yan had figured him out as well.

His ability was probably a type of external physical enhancement. He was tough and durable—the sort of person Jin Rongxu would never take an interest in, but absolutely needed.

“Eat more, come on.”

Before Ma Dong sat an iron plate piled high with pork braised with dried tofu knots. The portions were heaped into a small mountain.

By comparison, Zhu Yan was extremely restrained even when taking food, serving himself only enough for one person to feel full.

“Your body’s too weak.” Ma Dong cheerfully placed several large pieces of meat into Zhu Yan’s bowl. “Captain Jin said today that you’re still recovering from serious injuries. He’s practically worried sick over you…”

“Oh?” Zhu Yan immediately became interested. “What’s Captain Jin worried about?”

What did that mean?

What did he mean by saying Captain Jin was worried sick over him?

But Ma Dong seemed to realize that he had said too much.

He quickly gave an embarrassed laugh. “Ahaha, I just meant that you look weak. Captain Jin has always been like this. He may seem cold on the outside, but he actually cares a lot about everyone’s physical and mental well-being.”

“Exactly.” Another man with a bowl-cut laughed.

He had the air of an energetic young man, but he was always smiling and played the role of the agreeable good guy.

Over the past few days, he had done nothing but chime in and keep the conversation going at the dinner table. He neither pried into Zhu Yan’s affairs nor revealed anything about himself.

All Zhu Yan knew was that his nickname was Pot Lid. He did not even know the man’s real name.

“Our Captain Jin is cold-faced but warm-hearted. You should eat more. Tomorrow you’ll be entering the dungeon.”