Chapter 60 – Cohabitation
Translator: Xena
I was very sleepy while translating so forgive me if there will be any errors and just send me a dm on discord or mention me, thanks~~~
Under Lu Xueya’s almost tangible gaze, Jian Xie opened the electronic door with his fingerprint.
The two fish struggled inside the plastic bag, making a crisp sound as it splashed against the half-filled bag of water.
After she appeared, Jian Xie stopped asking Qin Zhuo for help and carried it with one hand, which proved rather inconvenient.
He lowered his head, preparing to switch hands to carry the bag.
However, as soon as the door opened, Lu Xueya behind him let out a surprised sound.
It didn’t feel like a frightened sound, it was more like she was genuinely surprised.
“You don’t live alone?”
Upon hearing this, Jian Xie frowned, raised his head, and immediately met the imposing figure of a young man standing nearly six feet tall.
Although the other person’s gaze always gave off an imperceptible sense of contempt, making one feel like they were being treated as insignificant dust, his face did indeed have the power to bewitch people, to the point that even Lu Xueya’s voice became somewhat subtle.
He couldn’t help but be: “…”
No wonder the black mist that always followed behind him didn’t scoff this time. It turned out that when Lu Xueya was explaining things to him, It had lost patience and had already quietly entered the house, waiting for him to open the door so It could launch a surprise attack.
Under his speechless gaze, Qin Zhuo casually reached out and took the bag from Jian Xie’s hand.
The bass, which had been struggling relentlessly in Jian Xie’s hands, became incredibly docile as soon as the young man took it from him, stiffly sinking to the bottom of the water.
Within seconds, both fish flipped over belly up, and their gills stopped opening and closing to breathe.
They were scared to death.
“Ah.” He lifted the bag high, glanced at it indifferently, and said, “Ran out of oxygen, huh?”
Jian Xie: “…”
“A guest? Come in.” Qin Zhuo’s words gave the impression of someone in charge of the household. A faint smile played on his lips. “I’ll go and prepare the fish.”
Jian Xie was so flattered, he froze on the spot.
Where did you learn these manners?
Lu Xueya behind him was clearly stunned, her gaze shifting between Qin Zhuo and Jian Xie, filled with curiosity.
“You, fish…” Jian Xie hesitated, “Do you know how to handle it?”
It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Qin Zhuo, but no matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t seem to connect an evil god with killing fish. The imagery felt very jarring.
Qin Zhuo’s retreating figure paused for a moment and then, “I do.”
Jianxie: “Really.”
“I can.” This time, It’s voice carried a hint of emphasis.
Jian Xie: “…”
Okay.
Jian Xie stopped trying to stop him. Seeing that he was carrying the fish toward the kitchen, he turned around and gestured for Lu Xueya to put on shoe covers before leading her into the house.
The interior decor, much like Jian Xie himself, perfectly matches his aloof demeanor, showcasing a minimalist aesthetic.
However, the seemingly simple wooden furniture was intricately carved with fine and complex patterns, revealing excellent taste in detail. A faint, exotic fragrance floated in the air throughout the villa, and upon closer inspection, it gave one a sense of extreme luxury and opulence, which clearly reflected the style of another resident.
Clearly, the two were living together.
“Who was that?” The image of the young man she had just seen flashed through her mind, and she couldn’t help but ask in a low voice, “Your brother?”
Jian Xie: “No.”
Seeing Lu Xueya’s confused look, he paused for a moment, then chose to use Qin Zhuo’s explanation. “He’s my guardian.”
Who was also an important existence to him.
“Is he an investigator too?” She frowned. “I know that some investigators’ relatives don’t have insight values, so they are easily hurt by monsters during missions… If he’s an ordinary person, shouldn’t he avoid them? It’s best if we stay alone together and he leaves this place…”
As soon as she finished speaking, a chill ran down her spine.
That was an intangible warning from the void.
Jian Xie glanced at her indifferently, interrupting her. “Don’t worry.”
Although he didn’t answer her question nor say much more, just that one glance was enough for her to inexplicably sense his intention to stop her from speaking further.
And it wasn’t because he felt offended, but purely out of concern for her personal safety.
—Watch your words.
Which words exactly…?
However, before she could dwell on it, her gaze was drawn to a glass bottle placed in front of the television as soon as she stepped into the living room.
Inside the bottle was an ugly insect. The television was on, and all its eyes were fixed on the screen, as if it were intently watching the program.
“He likes to watch that.” Jian Xie said casually. “Don’t block the TV screen.”
Lu Xueya: “…”
She had seen people keep cats and dogs, but she had never seen anyone keep insects. Today was truly an eye-opener for her.
Could it be because high-ranking investigators all have some psychological issues…
After the two sat down on the sofa, Jian Xie didn’t waste any words. He uttered a single sentence that left her stunned on the spot. “Why?”
“What?”
“You didn’t say why they’re seeking revenge.”
“…” She bit her lower lip, unsure whether she should speak. After hesitating for a long time, she deliberately spoke in a vague manner. “What special motive could a monster possibly have? They came seeking revenge on me because I killed one of their most important figures. That’s just how they are.”
It was because she overheard something that she met her misfortune.
Lu Xueya could never forget the sight that greeted her when she opened the door: her younger brother’s abdomen ripped open, his internal organs and limbs scattered around the safe house.
His body showed no signs of having been eaten, so they disemboweled him purely for amusement, like animals seeking base sensory stimulation. Her brother’s distorted features indicated that even in his final moments, he was in immense pain, tortured to death by them.
On the wall, a sentence was written in blood.
[Remain silent]
That was intimidation, and even more so, a death sentence.
Lu Xueya secretly believed that the fewer people who knew about this, the safer she would be… and after considering it for a long time, she only told Minister Zhang about it.
It was precisely this intelligence that secured her a glimmer of hope when Minister Zhang guided her out of danger. Otherwise, death would have been her only fate.
Upon hearing her clumsy lie, Jian Xie simply stared at her expressionlessly, as if judging and evaluating her. His penetrating gaze was chilling.
“You know, she’s the one who sent you to find me, isn’t she?” He said slowly, “So, it’s up to me to decide whether the aid succeeds or not. I won’t save someone who’s courting death.”
Jian Xie knew his emotions were flawed.
On the one hand, he says he wanted to live an ordinary life and keep a low profile at all times, but on the other hand, he was too lazy to hide his abnormalities.
Making judgments lightly was not in his nature.
If it were a neighbor chasing after the thugs who had cruelly harmed him, he probably wouldn’t get involved, because it would be a personal grudge.
Lu Xueya’s lips moved, and after a moment, a look of submission appeared on her face.
“I don’t know if you believe it or not.” She gave a wry smile, “But I really haven’t had time to do anything yet.”
While investigating the A-level monster in order to complete her mission, Lu Xueya accidentally stumbled upon an abandoned hospital.
In that gloomy and dark hospital, she unexpectedly lost her way.
Like Alice falling into a well, but without the White Rabbit, instead it was an ugly, A-level monster in human skin. It rushed through the locked, rusted gate into the overgrown hospital, muttering frantically, “I’m going to be late. I’m going to be eaten.”
Lu Xueya had been tracking it for half a month. If she lost it again, she would have to declare the mission a failure. After struggling to weigh the pros and cons, she gritted her teeth and simply followed it in, arriving at the hospital lobby.
Upon entering the hospital, a deathly silence permeated the air.
Though the corridor inside was clearly visible to its end, she walked for a full ten minutes without reaching the staircase.
She quickly realized something was wrong.
From a distance, she saw a sign with the number 9 hanging in the corridor, but as she approached, it suddenly turned around and wobbled into an ominous 6.
……
“If I had known my brother would die, I would have preferred to accept that my mission failed.” She fought back tears, trying her best to maintain her composure. “I didn’t hear much. They found me very quickly… I only know they were talking about the ‘Eye.’ Were they trying to attack the S-level detection equipment at the Management Bureau?”
It was important to understand that much of their gathered information was detected by the “Eye,” a major instrument. If it were destroyed by the monsters, it would be a fatal blow to the Administration!
“Don’t be so sure of yourself.”
A cold voice suddenly came from not far from the two of them, interrupting the entire conversation out of nowhere.
She immediately tensed up and turned to look at the source of the sound, only to see Qin Zhuo walk out of the kitchen and sit down next to Jian Xie as if no one else was there. He sneered. “That’s not aimed at the Management Bureau. There’s absolutely no need to think so highly of yourself.”
Lu Xueya frowned. Why would you say that?”
But Qin Zhuo completely ignored her, looking only at Jian Xie from beginning to end, and appearing extremely arrogant and rude. “I’ve already prepared the fish.”
Such an attitude should be repulsive, but strangely, it managed to give people the feeling that it was perfectly natural.
Jian Xie paused for a moment.
[What is it?] He wondered to himself.
【It’s the all-seeing, all-knowing Eye, akin to a game monitor.】 He answered lazily, his voice sounding quite pleased. 【We found the second material for shaping the body so quickly?】
Hearing no response from Qin Zhuo and seeing no sign of explanation from him, she finally couldn’t hold back any longer.
—After all, this was information she obtained at the cost of her own brother’s life, and she couldn’t accept it being so easily dismissed by others!
“How could it not be the ‘Eye’? Although I didn’t hear the full meeting, they did mention things like predicting, detecting, and determining the level of monsters, which is clearly the function of the ‘Eye’ within the department. They must be after the Bureau’s instrument. Once it’s destroyed, the investigators will be in a blind spot, and the monsters will be able to do whatever they want.”
“Is that so?” Qin Zhuo chuckled again, his tone dripping with sarcasm, and his gaze still fixed on her. “You can ask her why the Bureau named the device ‘Eye’.”
Jian Xie: “…”
This guy doesn’t even bother talking to anyone else besides himself.
He sighed and decided to give in, his voice flat and even. “Why is the instrument called ‘Eye’?”
“Why are you suddenly asking this?” Lu Xueya paused for a moment, then fell into deep thought, “It seems… it’s because the game originally had something similar, and the Management Bureau just copied it.”
The Supernatural Management Bureau was originally created by the group of surviving players who came out of the game, mainly to prevent monsters from seeking revenge. It was not until later, when relevant departments paid attention to it, that it truly became a formal governing body.
[Eagle Eye] is a legend originating from hell, according to players.
As a messenger of the gods, the eagle’s eyes can see far into the distance, and it will detect any demons that attempt to rise from hell to be resurrected immediately.
They have no idea who owned the prop; perhaps it was just something in the game’s design.
Just as the game repeatedly emphasized that the Eighteen Evils were the masters born from hell, they have never seen such a master appear in the game and dominate everything. In their eyes, this was just a fictional character from the official guidebook.
But it was through this legend that the weapons department got inspiration and named the instrument they developed as [Eye].
【See, I felt it sounded familiar back then. And that’s because it was mine.】 Qin Zhuo said casually, 【Now that I’ve found the real thing, why would I bother with a cheap knockoff?】
Jian Xie: “…”
Surprisingly, the monsters have a strong sense of copyright.
“But that thing… doesn’t even exist… right?”
Lu Xueya’s voice grew softer and softer until it disappeared completely, clearly indicating that she had already made some kind of decision.
“But that prop must be at least S-rank, right?” No, it should be super S, since even counterfeits are already S-grade!
She opened her eyes wide in disbelief. “And even if they find it, those A-level monsters won’t be able to pick it up; they’ll be instantly reduced to ashes the moment they touch it!” No wonder they held a meeting to come up with a solution. But the investigators can’t touch it either…”
Could it be that they only just learned of this powerful weapon, yet could only watch helplessly as neither side could do anything about it?
As she pondered, Lu Xueya’s gaze unconsciously fell on Jian Xie.
She was immediately speechless.
Lu Xueya suddenly understood the real reason why Minister Zhang had asked her to come see him.
At the same time, it seems I’ve also learned a tremendous secret…
Author’s Note:
Qin Zhuo: When others ask me, I ignore them; when my wife asks me, I explain in a second.
PS: The inspiration for the eye comes from the Eye of Providence, also known as the All-Seeing Eye, which originated from the Eye of Horus and is also known as the Evil Eye.
1 thought on “Chapter 60 – Cohabitation”
I don’t know why but I’m not fond of Miss Lu. She comes off as dumb… to me at least. It’s probably just because of my “god-view” as reader. And she does care for people without insight, so she is thoughtful and nice. I get that Qin can disguise himself but what about the worm? Isn’t she supposed have strong insight? I’m looking forward to the next chapter, hope is up for some action 😁. As always: thank you Xena.