Xin Ye ultimately failed to hold on until that person returned.
In the early stages of the apocalypse, the climate had not yet turned truly horrific, but the nighttime temperatures were already plummeting. Under the triple assault of pain, blood loss, and the cold, Xin Ye lost consciousness while waiting.
When he finally woke, he found himself back in his dormitory. Someone was sitting by his bed.
"You're finally awake." Seeing Xin Ye open his eyes, the man let out a sigh of relief. He helped Xin Ye sit up and opened a food container on the desk. "The branch manager sent me to look after you. Should I start with a bowl of porridge? I’ll fill you in on the details as we go."
At the same time, that strange voice rang out: 【Excellent! Today’s draft begins—by the way, Brother Ye, can you still hear me?】
With someone else present, Xin Ye couldn't speak aloud. He simply thought the affirmation in his mind, not expecting the voice to actually hear him: 【You really can! Great, Brother Ye, let’s push the plot forward!】
【You definitely know this guy. After all, he was your teammate in your past life—Lian Muyun, my wonderful second male lead.】
Though he didn't quite understand what the voice meant by calling Lian Muyun a "second male lead," Xin Ye was indeed very familiar with him.
Because the number of people who awakened abilities was small and combat resources were tight, ability users were considered to have passed their "newbie phase" after completing their training and their first self-selected mission. From then on, they could form teams of up to five people to execute missions.
In the previous timeline, Xin Ye and Lian Muyun had been on the same team.
Unlike a bottom-tier ability user like Xin Ye, Lian Muyun was genuinely gifted—a backbone of the team. His ability was "Gunsmith." Having him on a team was equivalent to having a portable armory. He had been rated as a B-rank ability user from the very beginning.
As his mission count grew and his abilities leveled up, Lian Muyun eventually reached S-rank in the late stages of the apocalypse and was chosen as the Chief of the First Branch.
"Congratulations on clearing the A-rank mutant 'Fish-worm.' You’re ranked first among our batch of ability users." The smile on Lian Muyun’s face was entirely sincere. He felt that Xin Ye’s strength surpassed his own, making him someone worthy of respect and study. "The credits and bonus have already been deposited into your account."
"The Fish-worm’s carcass has been reclaimed by Headquarters as research material. They’ll wire you the fee for that later."
The voice echoed in his head: 【Since this is an IF-line side story, we’re going for maximum satisfaction. Let’s start by giving our Brother Ye a ton of money to spend however he wants later.】
Xin Ye looked down at his hand, which was wrapped entirely in bandages. He didn't feel particularly "satisfied."
*Wasn't this money earned by literally putting my life on the line?*
After finishing the official business, Lian Muyun gave a light cough. "Also, I have a favor to ask, Student Xin..."
"Student Leng, Student Xing, and I have decided to form a team. We’d like to invite you to join us. Would you be willing?"
Since all the trainees in the same batch were taught at the same academy, calling each other "student" was standard.
Hearing Lian Muyun’s invitation, Xin Ye was somewhat surprised.
Last time, he had been "picked up" by the team as an afterthought.
Back then, Xin Ye’s first mission had been to clear out a few D-rank mutant lizards in the ruins of the city. He had ranked near the bottom of his class. Consequently, during the team-forming period before the second mission, no one had invited him, and no team was willing to accept him.
A team would rather leave a slot empty than take on a "drag" like him.
Thus, on the day missions were assigned, Xin Ye had stood with a few other bottom-rankers who hadn't found teams, enduring the judgmental gazes of the others.
It was on that day that he had met Lian Muyun, Leng Xianye, and Xing Yue.
The "author" writing online seemed able to see his character's thoughts, and chimed in with a rather tactless comment: 【In the years that followed, time proved that the ability 'Mirror Self' truly didn't have much potential.】
Xin Ye: "..."
He was shocked by Lian Muyun’s proactive invitation, but on second thought, it made sense. Right now, he was the top of the rankings. Although Leng Xianye had also completed an A-rank mission, the specific difficulty hadn't been as high as the Fish-worm.
Xin Ye fell into deep thought. He suddenly realized that a bright, high-starting career path might be laid out before him.
Someone added fuel to the fire: 【Yes, I am your 'Career-Path Assistant.' Just focus on your work; I’ll smooth over any problems that come up.】
Lian Muyun, receiving no answer for a long time, thought Xin Ye was hesitating. He grew nervous, his hands fidgeting with the bowl of porridge.
This was his first time trying to extend an olive branch to someone, and he wasn't sure if his "posture" was correct.
*Student Xin clearly has such a gentle face; he looks like someone who would be very easy to get along with. I didn't expect him to be so hard to negotiate with... It’s okay, if he’s hard to talk into it, I’ll just try a few more times!*
"Is Student Xin unwilling?" Lian Muyun blinked, trying his best to adjust his expression into a good-natured, enthusiastic smile. "If there’s anything you find unsuitable, just tell me! I’ll go negotiate with the other two teammates!"
"What do you mean 'unsuitable'?" Xin Ye snapped back to reality and looked at Lian Muyun. "I’m willing to join the team. I’ll be in your care from now on."
He still trusted the strength of his old squad—after all, the future savior Leng Xianye was in it. Compared to joining any other team, his original squad was already the "top-tier configuration."
Well, except for the old version of himself.
Lian Muyun froze for a moment after getting the "yes," then realized his negotiation had been an easy success. Overjoyed, he set the porridge aside. "That’s great! I’ll head back and tell them the news right away."
Lian Muyun bolted out of the room like a streak of lightning, leaving Xin Ye to stare helplessly at the bowl of porridge.
He lifted his heavily bandaged hands. "What happened to 'looking after me'? How am I supposed to eat this?"
【Ah...】 In another world, someone sitting in front of a computer paused. 【Then just bear with it and don't eat for now. I padded a few dozen words for that bit where Lian Muyun ran out, and I don't want to delete them.】
Xin Ye didn't feel particularly hungry anyway, so he leaned back, resting his hands casually on the quilt. "Fine. Then let’s talk about you."
"Who... exactly are you?"
Sensing the wariness in his tone, Xun Yin couldn't help but chuckle: 【Alright, let me introduce myself. My name is Xun Yin. I’m a web novel author. In a strict sense, I am your... mother?】
Xin Ye: "?"
The voice he heard always sounded as if it had been processed through a blur filter; he couldn't distinguish a gender.
Xun Yin earnestly explained everything to Xin Ye, telling him that he was a novel author and that Xin Ye was a supporting character in his book. Due to reader requests, Xun Yin had started writing an exclusive "IF-line" side story for him. That was why, in Xin Ye’s eyes, he had returned to the past to start his "job" all over again.
【The original male and female leads are Leng Xianye and Xing Yue, but you have a lot of readers who like you too. After all, you’re good-looking and you were the weakest one in the squad. A lot of people felt sorry for you.】
【Based on everything that happened yesterday, it seems we can not only communicate but also influence each other's progress. You can use your actions to drive my typing speed, and I can use my writing to modify the difficulties you face.】
After explaining, Xun Yin excitedly extended an invitation to Xin Ye: 【What do you say, Brother Ye! Let’s collaborate on this side story. I want to hear your opinions, too. They say the characters under an author’s pen have souls—this time, I’ve actually run into a real one!】
Xin Ye struggled to digest this massive amount of information. It was hard to believe, but honestly, after the battle with the Fish-worm, even if he didn't fully believe it, he had to give it at least fifty percent credence.
"Just because you want to write something called a 'side story,' you’re making me do this all over again?"
To him, what Xun Yin’s "other world" was like didn't matter. What mattered were always the people and things right in front of him.
Xun Yin paused, but didn't intend to offer much pity: 【That’s how it is. Besides, you weren't exactly satisfied with your original ending where you achieved nothing, right? Everyone else in the squad got something in the end—except you.】
He couldn't stop writing just because he felt bad for a supporting character. Hurting a character was better than letting himself starve.
Moreover, in terms of affection, he certainly liked the male and female leads more than Xin Ye, who was essentially a "plot-device third male lead."
"I know I can't go back... then let me verify this one more time, okay?" Xin Ye exhaled a long-held breath, the wounds on his body throbbing slightly. "I want to confirm that you can really help me... or rather, that you can really modify this world."
【Of course I can,】 Xun Yin said with the patience of someone coaxing a child—though Xin Ye technically was his child. 【How about the second mission? Let’s pick where to go in advance.】
With the previous experience in mind, Xin Ye didn't dare let Xun Yin choose a mission at random, fearing he’d be dropped into another dragon’s den. He proactively suggested: "How about the same as last time? The Information Building in the city center?"
In the original timeline’s second mission, Leng Xianye had chosen the A-rank mission "Sparrow Vine" on behalf of the team.
The "Sparrow" was a literal sparrow, and the "Vine" was a grapevine.
Mutated grapevines had crawled all over the building. Beneath the green leaves hung cluster after cluster of heavy, giant purple grapes. At first glance, it looked quite dreamlike, but if one observed the fruit closely through binoculars, they would see something moving inside the grapes.
Every single fruit hid a sparrow.
The Sparrow Vine had grown within the last month. Although its range of influence was much larger than mutants like the Fish-worm, no factors harmful to human survival had been detected yet. Thus, it had been temporarily categorized as an A-rank mission and placed on the list for ability users to choose from, rather than having specialists dispatched to deal with it.
Last time, the squad had put in a lot of effort to complete the mission. Xin Ye felt that with his experience, they could finish it more easily this time.
Xun Yin agreed readily: 【Sure, let’s go with that.】
【The second mission selection is in three days. I guarantee this mission will still belong to your team.】
The other party had agreed too readily; Xin Ye couldn't help but feel something was off.
But feeling something was off didn't really help.
Over the next few days, aside from recovering, Xin Ye spent his time selecting weapons and equipment for the next mission.
After completing a high-level mission, the items an ability user could purchase from the Branch Mall increased significantly. Looking at the freshly healed wounds on his hands, Xin Ye bought five pairs of high-grade half-finger tactical gloves in one go, and swapped his gun for a portable firearm with a larger magazine capacity.
Headquarters had paid a high price for the Fish-worm. Xin Ye’s little treasury was quite full, giving him the rare thought that "working hard" wasn't so bad after all.
Last time, he had spent most of his time following behind his teammates, always feeling like he was just "slacking off" at work. It was hard to feel the sense of achievement and satisfaction he felt now.
His "Mirror Self" upgraded its equipment along with him, and its tone was much more relaxed when they chatted at night.
The day before accepting the mission, Lian Muyun specifically dragged Xin Ye to meet Leng Xianye and Xing Yue, claiming that teammates should get to know each other in advance.
The Leng Xianye and Xing Yue who had just entered the profession didn't yet possess the aura of high-ranking superiors; they still looked like youths with a hint of childishness. However, coming from elite families, the two of them couldn't quite let go of their pride. Their speech and behavior were worlds apart from Xin Ye’s.
Even on a day off, Leng Xianye wore his uniform. His brow was as cold as if it were coated in frost. Only after being nudged by Lian Muyun for a long time did his expression soften slightly as he introduced himself to Xin Ye: "Leng Xianye. Ranked first in the Ability User Training Academy graduation."
Xing Yue hadn't cut her hair short yet. Her waist-length black hair veiled the sides of her face, giving her an indescribable air of nobility. Though she had a smile on her lips, she still projected a sense of distance. "Hello, Xin Ye. I am Xing Yue, ranked second."
The "ordinary" Xin Ye gave an "ordinary" friendly supporting-character smile: "Hello to you both. It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Xin Ye."
The four of them chatted about their first missions. After some conversation, both of them expressed their affirmation of Xin Ye’s abilities.
Xun Yin kept sighing in Xin Ye’s ear: 【As expected of my dear son and daughter; even in someone else’s side story, their presence is overwhelming.】
Xin Ye: "..."
*I get it, I get it. I’m just a useless supporting character.*
At eight o'clock the next morning, the ability users from the same batch at the Seventh Branch gathered in the mission hall.
Because the team included the first and second ranks on the rookie leaderboard, Xin Ye’s squad was given priority in selecting missions.
Leng Xianye stepped up to the electronic screen first. "Which one?"
Xin Ye tried his best to pretend he was just having a casual thought: "I heard an A-rank mission called 'Sparrow Vine' appeared recently. Its range of influence is supposedly comparable to an S-rank mutant. Want to go check it out?"
Xing Yue had done her homework beforehand, all of which was recorded on her tablet. After confirming the mission details, she nodded slightly, tossing her long hair behind her. "This works. It’s within our capabilities but still offers a challenge."
Lian Muyun didn't care much about the mission choice and was just laughing along. "If everyone thinks it’s good, then I think it’s good!"
With Xing Yue and Lian Muyun having no objections, the mission was set.
Teams that finished selecting their missions could depart immediately. The other three intended to head straight for the Information Building, but Xin Ye called out to them.
"What is it?" Lian Muyun asked.
"Isn't the team limit five people? I saw someone, and I think he’d be a perfect fit for our team..."
Xin Ye looked at the youth standing in the corner of the hall, head lowered, trying his best to shrink into the wall to lower his presence. Xin Ye unconsciously curled his lips into a smile.
"If you don't mind, could I go ask him?"
***
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