By the time the team finally set out, there were five of them.
Before Tang Qiuqiu could even fully process what was happening, Xin Ye had successfully swindled him into the group.
Xin Ye had spent a good while singing the praises of Tang Qiuqiu’s ability, followed by a glowing review of the other three members' talents. Finally, he capped it off by preaching the gospel of hard work—how wonderful it was to have a job, and how the harder the mission, the higher the bonus. That last point was what ultimately convinced the impoverished Qiuqiu to join.
Like Xin Ye, Tang Qiuqiu came from a commoner background. Living on his own, he was constantly pinching pennies.
Of the four original members, Xin Ye was responsible for the deception, while the other three simply played along, nodding and saying things like "No problem" and "It’s fine."
They were halfway to their destination when Tang Qiuqiu realized he hadn't even asked what mission they had accepted. He looked at the "scammer" who had lured him in with teary eyes. "So... what mission are we actually doing?"
Xin Ye, a D-rank Esper, spoke with absolute confidence. "The A-rank mission: Sparrow Vine."
Tang Qiuqiu, a C-rank Esper: "?"
As Xun Yin wrote the part where Tang Qiuqiu joined the team early, he couldn't help but ask Xin Ye: 【How did you think to recruit him ahead of schedule?】
In the main story, Tang Qiuqiu, the final member of the team, wasn't supposed to debut for at least another tens of thousands of words. The Sparrow Vine mission had originally been cleared by only four people.
Xin Ye glanced back at the young boy following behind them and replied to Xun Yin in his mind.
"To you, these events are just words on a page, but to us, they are lived experiences. Back when I used to tell Qiuqiu about how we fought the Sparrow Vine, he always said he wished he’d been there. He wanted to help us more."
"Even if it just meant sharing the burden of the injuries we took."
Xun Yin recalled that brief snippet of dialogue from the long web novel. He fell silent for a moment before replying: 【Right. In his character settings, Tang Qiuqiu is a good kid who cares deeply for his teammates.】
"I don't care about 'settings.' He’s just a good kid."
Xun Yin chuckled: 【What do you mean 'kid'? He’s about the same age as you.】
***
Working for the Mutant Investigation Department looked glamorous on the surface—ordinary people called them heroes—but in reality, it involved constant injuries and grueling labor.
A significant part of that grueling labor was simply getting to the mission site.
Lian Muyun was the chatterbox of the group. At first, he cracked jokes to liven the atmosphere, but eventually, he ran out of breath.
Two hours into the trek, he had checked the map on his multi-function watch at least thirty times. "...Are we there yet? My legs are killing me."
Xing Yue was also exhausted. She had tied her hair back with a rubber band on her wrist. Seeing that no one else was complaining, she forced herself to stay upright. "Your last mission required walking too, didn't it? Why can't you handle it this time?"
Using vehicles on the surface was a surefire way to attract mutants outside the mission's scope. Consequently, most missions within a branch's jurisdiction required Espers to travel on foot.
Even a few days ago, after Xin Ye had passed out, the branch had sent logistics personnel to carry him back on foot.
Leng Xianye added ruthlessly, "The seniors at the academy said physical stamina is vital. If you didn't train enough, stop complaining."
Lian Muyun was close with Leng Xianye and was used to his sharp tongue. He grinned back. "I’m just trying to annoy you."
"Go straight ahead; don't loop around to the right," Xin Ye suggested. "It’ll save us a huge chunk of distance."
Leng Xianye frowned as he checked the map again. "The area directly ahead is marked with a large number of C-rank mutants. That's supposed to be another team's objective. Are you sure?"
Xin Ye didn't answer immediately.
Xun Yin quickly provided the reasoning: 【Tell Leng Xianye that those C-rank mutants are originally bats. They sleep during the day. The sound of your footsteps won't wake them.】
Xin Ye repeated the explanation, but Leng Xianye wasn't convinced right away. "What’s your source? Is it reliable?"
Xun Yin: 【As expected of my 'son' and true protagonist. Cautious.】
The "adopted son," Xin Ye, replied: "...When you were picking the mission, I caught a glimpse of the other listings. The briefing said that area was infested with bats."
Xun Yin’s typing speed was blistering: 【Not bad. I didn't even think of that excuse.】
Xin Ye: "Because I actually saw it."
This time, Leng Xianye nodded. "Fine. We’ll go straight. Even if the C-ranks come out, the five of us should be able to handle them."
Currently, Xing Yue was A-rank, while Leng Xianye and Lian Muyun were B-rank. Tang Qiuqiu was C-rank.
Xin Ye remained the D-rank tail-ender.
Despite being a newly formed squad, their level of cooperation was surprisingly high. Everyone followed the decision and marched forward.
As Xin Ye listened to Lian Muyun chatting with the others, he whispered to Xun Yin, "Why the sudden urge to help me shorten the trip?"
From the sound of it, Xun Yin seemed to be eating something; his words were muffled. 【Mmm... First, I wanted to pad the word count. Second, consider it a little pre-mission gift, Ye-ge.】
【If I can shorten your travel time, I can help you kill the mutants more easily.】
Xin Ye: "So it was mostly about the word count, right?"
Xun Yin admitted candidly: 【Yes.】
Half an hour later, the five of them arrived at the base of the Information Building. Lian Muyun looked at Xin Ye with delight. "It actually worked. If we’d taken the detour, we’d probably still be walking for another thirty minutes."
Xing Yue murmured, reaching for a tablet she realized she hadn't brought. "Is this what an expert looks like? His pre-mission prep is better than mine..."
Leng Xianye gave a slight nod, acknowledging Xin Ye.
Xin Ye waved it off. "It’s nothing. We’re teammates now; helping each other is only natural."
Lian Muyun leaned over and threw an arm around Xin Ye’s shoulder. "Exactly! The number one ranker is my teammate. I’m totally riding your coattails!"
Tang Qiuqiu didn't speak, but he couldn't help but smile as he watched the interaction.
Xin Ye felt a stir in his heart. This was his team, his friends. Even if they had to start over, they would move forward together.
With the small talk over, they focused on the task at hand.
The green leaves and vines of the Sparrow Vine almost entirely encased the building, even covering the main entrance. The mutant vines were incredibly tough; Lian Muyun tried firing a shot, but it didn't even leave a scratch.
Lian Muyun inspected his gun. "Is the gear from the branch low quality? Should I try using my ability?"
Leng Xianye’s expression grew serious. "Don't bother. Let's just go for a forced entry..."
"I have an idea," Xin Ye sighed, pointing at a cluster of "grapes" hanging above. "Why don't we try hitting those?"
Xin Ye remembered clearly that they had wasted half an hour here last time.
Although this mutant looked like a quiet plant, it had gained its own consciousness after merging with other species' genes. The vines outside were the coarsest and most resilient. To enter the building with minimal effort, the simplest way was to make the Sparrow Vine move out of the way itself.
In the previous timeline, Xin Ye had accidentally hit the "grapes" while spraying bullets, triggering a counterattack from the vines. That was how they discovered the Sparrow Vine could move.
The ever-cautious protagonist was about to ask for Xin Ye’s reasoning, but Tang Qiuqiu beat him to it.
"I think Xin Ye’s judgment is correct."
It was the boy’s first time speaking up in the group. One look at his hands gripping his sleeves told everyone how nervous he was.
Xing Yue asked gently, "Can you tell us how you figured that out?"
Xin Ye didn't know how Tang Qiuqiu had reached that conclusion either, so he asked Xun Yin in his mind.
Xun Yin gave a low chuckle: 【Just think about his ability.】
Xin Ye had a sudden realization.
Tang Qiuqiu rubbed his head sheepishly. On the second rub, a pair of cat ears popped out.
He explained, "It’s my ability... 'Cat Catches Sparrow.' I can feel the weaknesses in those 'grapes.'"
In the apocalypse, nothing was more reliable than an Esper's ability. This time, no one questioned it.
When it came to formulating a plan, Leng Xianye’s skill was far superior to Xin Ye’s. Ultimately, they decided that Lian Muyun would use his ability to attack the "grapes," while Xin Ye and Leng Xianye would rush to push the door. Tang Qiuqiu would handle any vines that interfered with their path, and Xing Yue would use her "Unbroken Thread" to ensure the team stayed together.
Xin Ye summoned his Mirror Image to help with the door.
In the years to come, this squad would be praised for their peerless execution. Even in their early days, their performance was stunning.
Once everyone was in position, Leng Xianye began the countdown. The moment he hit "one," Lian Muyun opened fire.
The bullet pierced a massive grape hanging ten meters up. Immediately, a piercing bird-like shriek rang out.
Purple-red juice rained down. Xin Ye smelled the scent of blood—the blood of the sparrow inside the grape.
The vines began to writhe. Eighty percent of them surged toward the injured grape, while the remaining twenty percent lashed out at the group below.
Lian Muyun squeezed off a few more shots while the vines were still at a distance, then felt a tug on the thread wrapped around his wrist.
Xing Yue glared at him. "The distraction worked. Don't get greedy."
Lian Muyun smirked. "Right, right, My Lady."
Seeing the foliage on the door retracting, Xin Ye and Leng Xianye shared a look. The two men and the Mirror Image pressed their hands against the door simultaneously and shoved with all their might.
The door hadn't been opened in years; it was caked in rust, dust, and debris. However, such resistance was no match for the combined strength of three people.
But there was something else inside.
The moment Xin Ye and Leng Xianye forced the door open, several bright green vines shot out to pounce on them.
Tang Qiuqiu had been dealing with the vines on the flanks, but the instant the door opened, he reacted. Relying on feline speed and agility, his claws flashed, severing the vines in a blur.
Xin Ye couldn't help but shout, "Nice!" before turning to the others. "Move! Now!"
This time, Xing Yue didn't hold back, yanking Lian Muyun toward her with force. The two of them reached the door in an instant.
Once inside, Tang Qiuqiu continued to slice through any encroaching vines while the other four slammed the door shut, sealing the troublesome exterior vines outside.
Having spent an entire apocalypse in logistics, Xin Ye was used to preparing everything for his team. Since the vines blocked all the windows, the interior was pitch black. He pulled out two flashlights and handed one to Leng Xianye.
The cold beam of light illuminated a large area. Xin Ye glanced at the fresh vines at his feet, which had clearly just sprouted, and narrowed his eyes.
He spoke slowly, "Now, we can start dealing with the trouble inside."
***
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
---|---|---
唐秋秋 | Tang Qiuqiu | A new teammate from a commoner background.
不断丝 | Unbroken Thread | Xing Yue's ability, used to keep the team connected.
猫捉麻雀 | Cat Catches Sparrow | Tang Qiuqiu's ability; gives him feline traits and an instinct for "sparrow" weaknesses.
水字数 | Padding the word count | A meta-term used by the author, Xun Yin.
夜哥 | Ye-ge | A friendly/respectful way Xun Yin addresses Xin Ye (Brother Ye).
