Chapter 7

Whether to choose one person or a group, everyone had their own reasons. It was a question that no amount of arguing could resolve.

The fact was that Beixing had saved people. If he had not stepped in, both Teacher Wu and the students he had saved would have died.

The young man stood tall, his tone calm but his expression cold.

Even under the sunlight, Jin Yuxuan felt a chill.

Jin Yuxuan, who had scoffed at Beixing, changed expression when Qi Yue reminded him that the Beixing he looked down on had saved him. He fell silent as if struck dumb.

Qi Yue turned away with a cold expression and walked toward Beixing.

"Isn't that twisted jealousy? Beixing's the one Qi Yue treats differently, not you." A student's derisive laugh rang out.

Jin Yuxuan opened his mouth, but the little conscience he still had left made him keep quiet for once.

He had been impulsive. Once he was safely away from Jin Yuxuan, Qi Yue gradually relaxed his tense posture, but he did not regret what he had just said.

Beixing saw Qi Yue with his back to him, talking to their classmates in a

heartwarming

scene. Having put his body back in order, he became even more determined.

If Qi Yue stayed with him, sooner or later everyone would start avoiding him too.

No matter how reluctant he was, he should make things clear to Qi Yue. He could not deceive him and betray his kindness just because Qi Yue had a good heart.

When Qi Yue was still a few steps away, Beixing rose from his chair.

Qi Yue stopped at a polite distance and heard Beixing speak in a solemn tone.

"Qi Yue, I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" The corners of Qi Yue's mouth rose.

After going so long without communicating with others, Beixing's ability to speak had deteriorated to a degree. Yet he had managed to get that sentence out smoothly. He must have rehearsed it in his head before Qi Yue came over.

"Watching you all talk just now, you must have been happy." Beixing nervously picked at his fingers.

Huh? What was Beixing seeing?

"What I mean is... I'm kind of strange, and everyone else... is normal, just like..." Beixing steeled himself and held out the hand he had deliberately left unadjusted beneath his cloak. Not daring to look at Qi Yue, he said, "I can turn out like this. You know that, right...?"

The hand he held out hung limply, with no clear distinction between palm and knuckles. It was a soft, drooping cylinder, like a melting popsicle called Green Tongue, except it was the color of pale skin.

Judging that Qi Yue had had enough time to see it clearly, Beixing quickly pulled his hand back into his cloak. "Th-that's how it is."

"Knowing" and seeing it with one's own eyes were different things after all.

"...That's nothing."

"Mm... huh?" Beixing was stunned. A moment later, he heard Qi Yue's voice above his head.

"In this world, no matter what happens or what forms animals and plants take, it's all normal. No one would find it strange." Qi Yue was telling the truth.

"That's not how it is." Beixing's rebuttal was somewhat anxious. He explained it plainly, hoping Qi Yue would understand.

"Esper Ability Users who come near me all melt, l-like my hand. Even if they don't melt... their minds will develop problems... This is my Esper Ability. It can never be ch-changed..."

"Everyone who comes near me becomes unfortunate. Just like everyone says, I'm the source of the contamination..."

Beixing's own description of his Esper Ability saved Qi Yue a great deal of trouble. It confirmed what Beixing's ability was and also reminded him of some novels he had read in the Real World... novels about ancient gods.

Qi Yue was no longer as completely at a loss as he had been when he first arrived in this world.

Could the changes in this world also be the result of... His infection? And Beixing, whether luckily or unluckily, had gained the same contaminating ability as Him, but on a smaller scale?

That would also explain why Beixing could only contaminate New Humans whose genetic mutations had awakened their Esper Abilities. Was it because Old Human genes had not been contaminated during the initial mutation, leaving them unable to form a contamination link with Beixing?

That brought up a question.

Based on the Panel's information, perhaps copying someone's Esper Ability at one hundred percent required winning a fight against them? But how was he supposed to defeat Beixing, who possessed such an ability?

Teacher Jian's pounding had shown that Beixing could not feel pain.

Qi Yue: "..."

Things were getting increasingly tricky.

Beixing finished saying what he had prepared in his heart and waited a while. When he heard nothing from Qi Yue, he bowed his head even lower.

The beautiful dream was over.

"Um... goodbye." Beixing turned away dejectedly.

*?*

Qi Yue called out to stop Beixing. "Wait."

From Beixing's retreating figure, Qi Yue guessed that he had misunderstood his silence. Without a doubt, Beixing had fallen into a quagmire of insecurity because of his Esper Ability.

"Is... is there something else?" Beixing did not dare turn around.

"Perhaps... do you know about the Great Old Ones?"

Qi Yue did not know whether there were any rumors or talk about the "Great Old Ones" in this Manga World.

"Hm?" Beixing sounded bewildered.

"Wh-what's that?"

Qi Yue: "..."

Apparently not.

"He is a powerful and ancient existence, a higher-dimensional deity. More importantly..."

Watching Beixing's back, Qi Yue hoped he could break free of the quagmire of insecurity. He continued what he had left unsaid. "Beixing, He has a connection to you."

Chapter 7

The Real World.

At six on Friday afternoon, after spending the day slaving away at her company, Chu Yun sat cross-legged on the sofa, hugging a plush toy. She took a deep breath and opened Season Two of Chronicles of the Young Hunters, the new fantasy action manga she had been saving up for six weeks straight.

She could hardly be blamed for saving it up. One chapter a week was too little food! It was nowhere near enough to satisfy her.

Season One of Chronicles of the Young Hunters told the story of the protagonists, who had been infected and mutated after the world was infected. They met, stayed together, came to know one another, and became close friends as they fought off the mutated species together. At the end of the manga, the protagonists were recruited by the Seventh Hunter Academy.

According to a preview on the manga author's blog, Season Two of Chronicles of the Young Hunters told the story of what the protagonists saw, heard, and experienced after beginning a new

school

chapter, as well as their efforts to become true hunters and protect the world through systematic training.

"I can't bear to read it yet. I'll look at the bullet comments first to ease myself in! The author said there would be a new character in Season Two. What kind of person will they be? An enemy? Or a new friend? Anyway, I'll check the comments first so I can prepare myself..."

Chu Yun resisted the urge to look at the manga and tapped the button to turn on the bullet comments.

In an instant, bullet comments filled Chu Yun's phone.

[New character, transfer student Qi Yue: white hair, red eyes, and a handsome face. I won't say whose exact type he is!]

[Genuine question: is the huge stretch of "unknown" on his profile meant to make me die of curiosity so he can inherit my credit card?]

[The transfer student is so elusive, even the Fuyao Twins, who hear everything first, didn't notice he was there! The twins were right, this has to be a provocation!]

[That gentlemanly, effortlessly composed manner is pure class. The Class F students are like puppies being taken for a walk hahaha]

[Hot take! The transfer student must have some ulterior motive for getting close to Beixing!]

["If you're willing, I'm willing to be your opponent." "Beixing, He has a connection to you." Oh my god, he's reeled me in completely! Forget Beixing, anyone would be charmed senseless! Even if he has an ulterior motive, I'd still fall for it!]

[He's so charming it's going to kill me! I'd call him a walking king of charm! I wish I could fast-forward to the next chapter!]

[Speaking of which... what exactly is the new character's Esper Ability? Why is everything on his profile unknown except his height and gender? Does that make any sense?!]

[Holy crap, holy crap, holy crap! Even "ancient gods" have come up! How does he know so much? He knows about Cthulhu, the evil god who sets the tone for the world! Everything about Him is supposed to be "unspeakable" in the world's setting, yet he can actually say it out loud?! Just how unfathomable is his background? Aaah, I'm so curious about what happens next! Why did they update so little?! I strongly suggest the author update all the way to the finale in one go!]

Almost all the bullet comments were discussing the new character, "transfer student Qi Yue."

"He's so popular! Is he really that impressive?" Chu Yun's anticipation soared.

Filled with anticipation, Chu Yun turned off the bullet comments, planning to immerse herself in the manga, and opened chapter one—

Fifteen minutes later, having read through it once, Chu Yun cried out just like the bullet comments: "Why is there so little? It's nowhere near enough! Forget Beixing, I've been reeled in too!"

The new character was so captivating that he had Chu Yun's heart in his grip. She opened chapter one again, intending to savor it carefully from the beginning.

Chu Yun had a strong feeling that, until the next chapter came out, these six short chapters would be the spiritual nourishment she used to coax herself into going to work this week!

Meanwhile, on the training field.

"I'm sorry, but I..."

They were all things he had never heard before. None of the students had said them, nor had Dean Li, who had brought him back. They were nowhere to be found in the academy library's books, either.

Qi Yue's words left Beixing, who had always thought himself slow and stupid, feeling increasingly unable to understand. He silently added "well-read" to Qi Yue's labels, after "gentle," "kind," "powerful," "widely admired and popular," and "handsome."

Faced with a gap in his knowledge he could not understand, Beixing could only follow Qi Yue's train of thought. "Really, connected to a deity...?"

How could that be? A... monster like me.

Beixing's voice was full of uncertainty and disbelief. It all felt like a dream.

Qi Yue walked closer to Beixing and stopped one step away, his gaze falling on the hand Beixing had shown him earlier.

"Would you mind letting me see your hand again?"

Qi Yue's gaze rested on the wide sleeve.