It was as if he were a person who could never truly be touched.

Qin Zhilu‌⁠⁠​⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌⁠‍‌​​​‍​​⁠⁠‌ was acting weird. He wasn’t as indifferent as usual; he answered Kaos’ concerns about his injuries and responded to Jiang Xiao’s questions regarding the details of District 95, though most were still simple one to two-word replies.

Yet, for some reason, An Yu felt that the more willing he was to respond, the greater the sense of distance between them became.

It was as if he were a person who could never truly be touched.

His thoughts were inscrutable and his decisions immutable.

And he too would never find salvation.

“What’s wrong?” Qin Zhilu suddenly asked, glancing at An Yu. “You seem absent-minded. Thinking about the mission, or worried about safety?”

Thinking about you, An Yu thought. Since entering District 99, half his mind had been spent observing Qin Zhilu.

An Yu murmured, “Back in District 95, once the Super-aberrant acquired your infinite chaos, did it become the core of the Chaotic Reaction?”

Qin Zhilu nodded. “Yes.”

“So, do you think that before reaching heat death, that mass of reactants possesses a will, the will of the Super-aberrant?”

Qin Zhilu paused for a moment, then continued forward. “When asking a superior about mission details, try to be a bit more submissive.”

An Yu blinked. “What did I do?”

“Staring straight at me with those golden eyes and not even blinking. If I say yes, I feel like you’ll get angry immediately. If I say no, you’ll keep pressing me,” Qin Zhilu softly chuckled, looking at An Yu with a half-smile. “You’re becoming quite the defiant little wolf.”

An Yu looked bewildered for a moment, then withdrew his gaze to watch the road ahead. “I am not.”

Qin Zhilu laughed and reached out to adjust the sagging collar of An Yu’s overcoat. An Yu tucked half his face into the collar, trudging forward through the frost. He remembered what Ling Qiu used to say when telling myths: that the universe is merciful and always leaves breadcrumbs for enlightenment, so the descent of a god is often accompanied by parables, totems, or artifacts.

Perhaps that ice coffin was the parable of the Mysterious Advent twenty-seven years ago.

Qin Zhilu suddenly spoke: “When the reactants in District 95 expanded, they prioritized swallowing land and buildings, then low-level aberrants, and finally more complex aberrants. It made me feel that the reaction mass was an intelligent thing, or at the very least, it possessed thought before drifting toward heat death. When I tried to get close to it, it deliberately avoided me. I’ve been thinking about why ever since. I think perhaps the Super-aberrant was afraid. It knew its chaos came from me; if I entered that Chaotic Reaction, perhaps my will would override its own. That is the only explanation I can think of.”

An Yu’s pupils trembled slightly. “But that is only your guess.”

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He lifted his eyes to look at An Yu. “Didn’t the Poet say… that I am the source of the calamity?”

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District 99 had entered a bizarre silent mode. No one was seen on the streets for over ten minutes until, finally, a few silhouettes appeared in the distance. But as they drew closer through the frost, the figures vanished.

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Jiang Xiao lost his voice instantly. Human bodies were merging with the pillars in front of the restaurant. Grayish-white eyeballs bulged out from the stone. The last man’s legs were still kicking outside, but soon they were embedded in the pillar. Plaster-like paint flowed up his ankles until he was welded shut and gradually swallowed.

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Then, the ground steps, the tables and chairs inside, crates of red wine, and the coffee machine…

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“See that?” Qin Zhilu whispered. “Regardless of how long the life inside lasts, while the Chaotic Reaction is expanding, there is indeed life and intelligence within.”

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Sienna arched a cold eyebrow. “If someone pulled into the Chaotic Reaction can use their will to control its direction, then just let me in. Even if Colonel Disf has controlled the reaction, he’s likely no match for me. After all, he only had indirect contact with Lady Tang Ru and Ms. Zhan Xue, whereas I am a direct radiation victim. Besides, I am a defined part of the prophetic drawing. I will destroy him within the reactants, then take that filth with me and terminate the reaction by walking straight into self-annihilation.”

Her tone was so natural, totally disregarding the sudden silence around her. She shrugged with a half-smile. “Don’t look at me like that. I’ve been an orphan since I could remember. I spent my radiation observation period safely under the Brain’s surveillance and had twenty happy years in District 95. I have nothing to be dissatisfied about.”

“It’s a viable method,” Qin Zhilu nodded. “But the Super-aberrant is still in the shadows. Don’t act rashly.”

Sienna smiled. “I will act when I deem it appropriate. I may only be the fading glow you dropped, but that doesn’t mean I will follow your orders.”

She suddenly frowned. “Careful!”

An Yu was violently yanked back two steps by Jiang Xiao. Looking down, he saw the reactants from the restaurant sprawling out of the doorway, flowing toward them. Judging by the shape of the stretching edges, everyone in the group would be swallowed before him.

“Let’s go,” Qin Zhilu finally said. “This kind of small reactor should be self-limiting. Just stay away.”

Half the city was buried into snow. One step onto the ground, and the ice climbed up one’s pant legs; within seconds, half a shin would be frozen to the ground. One had to crack the ice shell with the back of a knife to take the next step. This frost didn’t just hinder movement; it interfered with everyone’s mental stability.

Sienna irritably chipped ice off her legs while glancing at An Yu. “The fact that the Super-aberrant gave up on mentally controlling you is truly enviable.”

An Yu, huddled inside Qin Zhilu’s overcoat, whispered after a long silence, “But I am flesh and blood. I’m very afraid of the cold. I’m freezing to death.”

“Oh?” Sienna arched an eyebrow. “Thanks. That makes me feel much better.”

An Yu bit his dry, cracked lips. Suddenly, he felt a weight on his shoulders; Qin Zhilu had draped his only remaining coat over him. Two pitch-black, glossy tentacles emerged from his back, wrapping around An Yu’s waist as they had before, rubbing against him with a gentle but powerful rhythm.

“In the future, when going on missions, you must buy proper gear. You’re rich enough now,” he said, his tone somewhat stern.

An Yu seemed dazed by the cold. It took a long time before he murmured, “Your tentacles generate more heat than a coat. Might as well save a bit where I can.” As he spoke, he fumbled for the tip of a tentacle and pulled it into his arms.

“Don’t move around,” Qin Zhilu frowned, glaring at him. “Utterly lawless.”

An Yu gave a small “oh” and sniffled. “Can you loosen it a bit? You always wrap me so tightly.”

The sensation around his waist loosened instantly. Qin Zhilu simply lengthened the tentacle and wrapped it around one more time.

Sienna raised an eyebrow. “It seems the rumors on social media are true. Corner is a supervised subject in name, but his status is extraordinary. Even you have to take him into account at every turn.”

Qin Zhilu said tonelessly, “In the Spire, taking care of a supervised subject is a Commander’s responsibility.”