The Researchers

"It is impossible for Nan Yue to absorb all the pollution."

Back in the safe house, that was the only sentence Jiang Siyan had spoken the entire time.

It had terrified Lan Jing Shui. In his words, it felt like Jiang Siyan’s voice was laced with blades.

"I know."

Fu Xi Ming met Jiang Siyan’s cold and dark gaze, speaking as gently as she could.

"Nan Yue might one day grow to the point where she can absorb all the pollution, but she definitely does not have that capability yet. What I want her to do is not to absorb the pollution, but to purify it."

Fu Xi Ming proposed an idea.

The Federation is constantly dumping pollution. Is it possible that the pollution outside the city states is actually the same as the pollution worlds we enter during the purification project?

It seems the purification project has an operating system that monitors and categorizes it, assigning scavengers based on their rest periods and entry frequency.

But the pollution outside the city states is chaotic and disordered, not yet incorporated into the operating system’s queue for scavenger assignments.

Nan Yue roughly understood. "You mean the outside world might just be one mission world after another?"

Fu Xi Ming nodded. "Yes, that is my hypothesis. If that is the case, you can just purify it like you are completing a normal mission."

Gu Xiang Kai was confused. "But the pollution is endless. Even if we purify one area, more will spread from elsewhere. A completely quiet corridor for scavengers to travel through normally shouldn't be possible."

Fu Xi Ming looked deeply at Gu Xiang Kai. Who said he was just the team’s devoted follower, a single-minded muscle? He’s clearly very sharp!

"That is what Sharp Blade will solve."

Facing their gazes, Fu Xi Ming hesitated for a moment before deciding to reveal some internal information.

"Actually, there are many technology workers within Sharp Blade."

"The scavenger world provides no source of knowledge in this area. Everything we learn is about how to save our own lives—which, as it turns out, is just a way to extend our lifespans and make our roles as scavengers more cost-effective."

"But the Federation was careless."

Zhu Xi Ning was the first to realize. "The libraries!"

Fu Xi Ming nodded. "Yes. The libraries, cinemas, and all the places in upper city states where one can encounter knowledge from the mission worlds."

"The Federation’s original intention in providing that knowledge was to help high-level scavengers live longer so they wouldn't have to invest heavily in producing new scavengers."

Nan Yue’s curled hands tightened. "Are there people in Sharp Blade studying the mission worlds?"

Fu Xi Ming nodded.

"Artificial humans are still human, and humans possess the ability to create. While most scavengers focus on learning about folklore and social rules in the mission worlds, there are some who have developed an interest in the technology, civilizations, and arts of those worlds."

"Sharp Blade absorbed most of those people. We used a massive amount of points to allow them to enter mission worlds as rarely as possible so they could focus on research and development."

"The pollution-insulated corridor you mentioned was created a long time ago."

Gu Xiang Kai raised an eyebrow. "Shen Nian made it back then?"

Fu Xi Ming nodded. "It was only a prototype back then, but it showed results during testing in mission worlds. It could isolate certain supernatural events and punishments for violating basic rules, so they took it out with them."

Fu Xi Ming did not want to dwell on Shen Nian’s failure, so she brought the topic back.

"Now, after so much time and many updates, the device is very stable. However, the prerequisite is that it must be deployed in a space free of pollution to work."

Nan Yue looked thoughtful. "So we just need to deploy the device the moment we finish purifying the pollution."

Fu Xi Ming nodded. "Correct. When the pollution hasn't been purified, this thing is useless. But as long as the pollution disappears, even for less than a second, it can take effect."

Nan Yue was curious. "What other results do you have?"

Fu Xi Ming gave a wry smile. "We have many results, but back then, our research was focused on the purification and management of pollution. We thought pollution was finite. Who would have known that the world we live in is a giant landfill, and there will always be more trash?"

Nan Yue was amused by Fu Xi Ming’s metaphor. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Is it possible to research a way to interfere with the operating system?"

Fu Xi Ming considered it. "I’m not sure. I need to go back and ask those scientists."

"In any case, you should head back and wait for word from me."

She looked at Nan Yue. "I just need you to stay ready at all times, because no one knows what is outside the city states. If I am wrong..."

Nan Yue nodded. "I understand."

This was a game of chess where every move was a dead end. Fighting for survival in such a situation could never be perfectly safe.

They all had the necessary resolve.

After the four returned to the hotel, life went on as usual. Zhu Xi Ning still went to the library every day to read romance novels, and Gu Xiang Kai spent his time hitting the heavy bag.

Nan Yue stayed cooped up in her room playing games and sleeping, while Jiang Siyan acted as her caretaker.

Everything seemed unchanged.

Except Jiang Siyan spoke less. He stopped wearing glasses and no longer kept his bangs, slicking his hair back instead. He radiated a sense of danger.

【GAME OVER】

Nan Yue looked at the prompt on the screen and tossed the controller aside, leaning back on the sofa.

Jiang Siyan was in the nearby kitchen making a cake because Nan Yue had said she wanted some.

Jiang Siyan was using a small knife to slice a yellow peach in his palm, his movements quick and precise.

Watching him, Nan Yue thought of what Fu Xi Ming had said to her before they left.

While Lan Jing Shui was chatting with the others, Fu Xi Ming had privately warned Nan Yue.

"Bai Yao... no, Jiang Siyan. He isn't quite right."

Nan Yue hadn't even looked back at him. She simply nodded.

"I know."

Fu Xi Ming was like the sun—powerful and radiant. Even after learning the truth about Shen Nian’s death, she could carry on through her tears.

She still carried the burden of Sharp Blade and had things she needed to do.

But Jiang Siyan was more like cold moonlight. He hadn't been normal since Zhou Yang died, possessing strong self-destructive tendencies.

Now that he knew the truth, he would only become more extreme and distorted.

Before this, Nan Yue had appeared. Even with the addition of love, a soul that was already distorted could not suddenly become radiant.

His distortion and madness would project onto his feelings for Nan Yue.

Fu Xi Ming was worried.

"I don't know what Jiang Siyan’s feelings for me are."

Nan Yue admitted it openly. She wasn't a fool; she could certainly feel that Jiang Siyan treated her differently.

But she wasn't repulsed by it. It seemed Nan Yue felt differently about him as well.

Under the current circumstances, however, she had no state of mind to analyze what those feelings were.

They could continue to get along like this. Even though Jiang Siyan seemed dangerous to outsiders, Nan Yue didn't feel that way.

"We get along very well."