Death Progress Bar

Chapter 104

The two of them hugged silently for a while, slowly calming down.

Shi Jin helped Lian Jun back into his wheelchair and sat in front of him. Straightening Lian Jun’s disheveled robe, he said, “After the field training, there’d be the parade and final review, and that’s it. I’ll be back soon, just endure for a little longer.”

Lian Jun took out a towel and wiped the water and sweat on Shi Jin’s face. “Shi Jin, to be honest, I came today not only to see you but also because there is something I want to talk to you about.”

“What? Did something happen?” Shi Jin asked, puzzled. As he thought of one possibility, his expression became serious. “Is there some kind of trouble in the underworld?”

Lian Jun nodded, then shook his head. “Not quite,” he replied, stroking Shi Jin’s cheek soothingly. “There is some movement, but nothing I can’t deal with, there’s no need to worry too much. It’s the government that worries me.”

Shi Jin’s heart skipped a beat. “The government? What happened? Are the authorities moving against us already?”

“No. The situation in the underworld is about to become volatile—they won’t dare to make things difficult for Annihilation. If anything, they’ll only be more considerate and tolerant. After all—” Lian Jun paused mid-word, his expression turning thoughtful. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth rose in a cold smile. “So that’s what it is—that’s why they’re targeting Tarantula. Who’d have thought that the officials would also buy the little performance we acted out with Aunt Lu.”

“They’re targeting Tarantula?” Shi Jin didn’t have to know all the details to grasp the key point keenly. Anxious, he grabbed Lian Jun’s hand, waking him up from his thoughts. “What do you mean? What happened to Tarantula?” Tarantula was Annihilation’s only ally in the underworld and a very important element in the latter part of Lian Jun’s plans; it had to stay safe.

Lian Jun returned to his senses. Squeezing Shi Jin’s hand reassuringly, he briefly described the government’s plan to deal with Tarantula, and the speculation he’d just made.

As Shi Jin listened, his mood changed from concern to stupefaction. After he stopped choking, he said, “So you say, the officials know that Tarantula ‘kidnapped me’ a while ago, and they thought harassing it is the way to go? They think this will make you happy and more motivated to do things for them?”

If this was the case, then Lian Jun truly did a number on Tarantula—they did him a favor and now were going to suffer for it…

“That’s what it looks like. Tarantula and Annihilation have been ‘mortal enemies’ for many years; as the officials see it, we should be happy to destroy Tarantula. And they’re under a great deal of pressure, too. After all, with how things are in the underworld right now, if I decide to twiddle my thumbs instead of doing what they need, it would definitely cost them dearly. Right now, I’m still indispensable to them, so they have no choice but to keep me happy,” Lian Jun explained, struck by a feeling of absurdity. “They see themselves as benevolent superiors who bestow rewards on those inferior to them and never bother to ask whether these rewards are needed or even wanted… However, it’s actually a good thing that they have this kind of mentality: it’ll help me protect Tarantula in a more discreet way.”

Shi Jin looked at Lian Jun’s cold smile and emotionless gaze focused on something unknown, and his eyebrows wrinkled. He held his lover’s face and turned it towards himself. “Where are you looking? I’m right here, and yet you’re getting distracted?”

Lian Jun returned to himself, the indifference in his eyes quickly fading, replaced by tenderness. He caught Shi Jin’s hand and said, “Thank you, Shi Jin. Because of you, I understood why the authorities want to deal with Tarantula. Now, I don’t have to waste time trying to figure out what’s going on.”

“I didn’t do anything, I just asked a simple question…” Shi Jin’s frown tightened. Seeing that Lian Jun wasn’t angry, he touched his face again. “You still lost weight,” he said with dissatisfaction. “You’re not allowed to do this.”

Lian Jun tilted his head and kissed Shi Jin’s hand, a gesture of appeasement and apology.

“…Forget it—when the military training is over, I’ll take care of you so you’d put on flesh again.” Shi Jin’s heart softened. He couldn’t bear to continue to scold him, so he could only change the subject: “This mission in G Province—are you going to go in person?”

Lian Jun liked Shi Jin’s way of compromising with him. He kissed the younger man’s hand again, and replied, “I am, and that’s what actually came to talk to you about. I know we’d agreed that I’d help you take a leave of absence from school to go on this mission, but… What we need to do in G Province might take a while and you just started university. If you want to stay at school a little longer, to experience the life of an ordinary college student—I’d understand. I can deal with the matter there by myself, and then come pick you up. This way you’d—”

“I’m going to G Province with you,” Shi Jin interrupted him without an ounce of hesitation. He said seriously, “Studying at the police academy takes four years. I’ll have plenty of time to experience college life, it won’t go anywhere. But you—everything you do constantly puts you into danger. I want to accompany you—don’t think you can sideline me and I’ll sit idly by.” Moreover, he spent four years in the police academy in his last life. He had already experienced enough of college life, thank you.

Lian Jun studied his earnest expression. “Are you certain? I heard you’ve made friends here, don’t you mind parting with them?”

“Friends aren’t as important as you,” Shi Jin replied. He took a closer look at Lian Jun’s expression and suddenly broke into a grin. “Are you jealous?”

Lian Jun didn’t answer. He pinched Shi Jin’s face, then leaned forward so their foreheads touched. “Tonight, Gua One will take Gua Three, Gua Five, and Gua Nine to G Province to get in touch with the government personnel and make arrangements; Gua Two, Uncle Long, and I will stay at the club for a few more days. When the military training is over, I will pick you up, and we will go to G Province together, okay?”

“Yes!” Satisfied with his arrangement, Shi Jin reached out and hugged him. “In any case, you can’t leave me behind.”

Lian Jun stroked his hair. “I wouldn’t dare.” And how could I be willing. Besides, B city wasn’t an absolutely safe place; only having Shi Jin right by his side could he feel at ease.

Shi Jin automatically translated Lian Jun’s “I wouldn’t dare” into “I want to be with you every day.” Happy, he kissed him again, secretly planning that when they go to G Province, he would definitely make Lian Jun put on weight!

The cadets had only two hours to find the flag and get back. Although Shi Jin saved as much time as possible by taking the fastest route to climb the mountain, in the end, he was still short on it. He stayed in the cabin for only twenty minutes before he had to leave, no matter how unwilling he was.

“Please, be careful not to get hurt on your way down the mountain, don’t rush too much.” Lian Jun helped Shi Jin put on the military equipment. Looking at the bump on the teenager’s forehead, he said, “And don’t forget to apply medicine on it when you get back.”

Shi Jin nodded. Suppressing the reluctance in his heart, he put on his backpack and walked to the door, dragging his steps. “Then I’m going to go first. Remember to take a nap… Alright, I’m leaving for real.”

Lian Jun folded his hands on his abdomen, pushing down the urge to pull him back. “Uhm. I’ll come to pick you up when the military training is over.”

Time was running out; Shi Jin really couldn’t stay any longer. He reached for the door handle, opened the door, and stepped out. As he did, he glanced back, only to see Lian Jun instinctively reaching out to stop him, and the words of goodbye on his tongue disappeared in an instant. He strode back and leaned down to hug Lian Jun hard, saying into his ear, “I’m going to bring you back a gift, wait for me.” He kissed Lian Jun’s ear and let go, then turned around and walked out of the cabin without looking back. Once outside, he quickened his pace and ran into the woods, soon disappearing from sight.

Lian Jun followed him with his gaze, watching until the branches and leaves the teenager grazed as he passed by slowly stopped swaying. He touched the ear Shi Jin kissed, then moved his hand to hide his face. “Stupid, what kind of gift you can bring me from a military base.”

Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!

The mountain ranger’s cabin stood between Routes 1 and 2, and Shi Jin could follow either one of them to go back to the starting point. But if he did, winning the race would definitely be impossible.

You must get the first place, to get a gift for Lian Jun and to make Xiang Aoting go back to the Air Force.

Shi Jin climbed onto a branch, nimbly jumped onto a boulder below, and looked at the steep descent in front of him. Rocky and overgrown with trees, quite honestly, couldn’t be called a path at all. He recalled the way Lian Jun stretched out his hand as if refusing to let him go, and his eyebrows wrinkled. He leaped straight down, aiming for one of the trees on the “path.”

No rule prohibited the cadets from making their own path instead of following one of the three designated routes. Since he was in a hurry, he might as well do real mountain climbing.

“Xiao Si!” he called in his mind.

Xiao Si instantly understood what he meant. < Leave it to me, JinJin! Go ahead, don’t worry! >

Creak.

He firmly grabbed a branch of the tree and swung on it, then twisted his body and wrapped his legs around the tree trunk. Once his position was steady, he let go of the branch and climbed up like a monkey. The corner of his mouth rising, he looked for the next foothold and agilely jumped down.

The foot of the mountain.

One of the instructors was taking a sip from his water bottler, absentmindedly looking around. As he glanced towards the mountain, he noticed a shadow flash between the trees. He blinked, confused, then turned to look more carefully.

A gust of wind swayed the trees, revealing a figure hanging on a branch.

“What the..!” The water bottle slipped out of the instructor’s hand and fell to the ground. The man rubbed his eyes in disbelief and found that the figure had disappeared from the branch. He hastily looked around, this time spotting the creature—a human, presumably—on a rock below the tree.

So it wasn’t me seeing things. What is that, a monkey?

Bewildered, he picked up the binoculars that were used to check the students’ situation from the table and pointed them at the place he’d just looked at, trying to locate the “monkey.”

Half a minute later, he finally found “it”, and watched in shock the whole process of the “monkey” nimbly jumping off a tree, doing a safety roll as “it” landed below, rolling into a gap between another tree and a boulder. Then, “it” grabbed a branch extending outside the mountain crag, dropped straight down into a small flat space below, and slid down the slope.

What kind of monster was that? This speed was too fast!

The instructor couldn’t help but curse again. After repeatedly confirming the appearance of the “monkey”, he went over to Xiang Aoting, who was looking through the roster not far away, and stuffed the binoculars into his hand. “Look over there, halfway up from that area. Your trainee has turned into a monkey!” he said excitedly.

Monkey?

This puzzled Xiang Aoting at first, but then a certain suspicion crossed his mind. His expression turning serious, he hurriedly raised the binoculars and looked in the direction his colleague was pointing.

If you’re seeing this notice, you’re reading this chapter on pirate site – the original translator of Death Progress Bar is Betwixted Translations.

Unaware that his descent down the mountain had been seen by the people below, Shi Jin moved through the forest, taking full advantage of ‘Agility,’ ‘Speed,’ ‘Precision Enhancement,’ and other buffs Xiao Si applied to him. After a short while, he descended to the lower part of the mountain, turned onto Route 1 near the end, and made a mad dash towards the finish line.

He had seen none of the other cadets on his way. He checked the time and figured that the fastest group should still be struggling somewhere halfway down the mountain. Reassured, he sped up, quickening his pace again once he saw the camp tents ahead. He sprinted through the finish line and plopped down on the ground panting, pretending to be exhausted. Taking the pennant from his backpack, he looked at the nearest instructor, asking breathlessly, “Am I the first one back, sir?”

The instructor stared at him blankly, the binoculars hanging from his hand.

Huh? Why is the camp so quiet?

Shi Jin blinked and looked around as he adjusted his breath. He discovered with horror that all the instructors were looking at him, and most of them had binoculars in their hands. His heart skipped a beat as a terrifying suspicion arose in his heart.

N-no, don’t tell me…

Xiang Aoting suddenly strode over from behind and stopped in front of him, watching him with a grim and menacing expression.

Shi Jin looked up at him stiffly, swallowed saliva, and held out the pennant to him. “Here… is the flag I got,” he said timidly. “I worked really hard to get it.” So, can you please not pursue certain details of the process…

Faced with Shi Jin’s pleading gaze, Xiang Aoting couldn’t continue to be angry. He grabbed the teenager’s hand and pulled him up from the ground, saying, “Don’t do such a dangerous thing again… I just contacted the two other finish points—congratulations, you’re the first one to come back.”

Great! I’m first—no, wait! Everyone here really did see that!

“Haha, thank you, sir. In fact, going down the mountain like that wasn’t that dangerous. I like exercising on the parallel bars and have often played by jumping back and forth, so I’m used to it.” Shi Jin let out an awkward laugh and tried to ease the embarrassment, but to his chagrin found it didn’t work—all the instructors were still staring at him. Hastily, he clutched Xiang Aoting’s hand, pretending to frown in pain. “Actually, I got hurt, sir. Here, on my forehead, can you see? I bumped into a tree. Eh, climbing a mountain is not that easy, to be honest.”

Xiang Aoting glanced at his brother’s forehead and found that there really was a big bump bulging there, and his expression darkened again. Stepping sideways to block Shi Jin from sight, he tightened his grip on his hand and led him away from the crowd, reprimanding, “Serves you right for pulling a stunt like this. Are you dizzy? Do you think you may have a concussion?”

“No, I’m fine,” Shi Jin reassured him hurriedly. Sticking to Xiang Aoting’s side, he followed him to the infirmary tent in the rear, where there were almost no people.

It wasn’t until Shi Jin and Xiang Aoting disappeared that the other instructors came to their senses. An older instructor looked down at the weighted equipment Shi Jin had left behind, and let out a bemused sigh. “One truly shouldn’t underestimate the younger generation… What is the cadet like him even doing at the police academy?”

“I heard the cadet himself insisted on going to a police school instead of a military academy. He attended a military preparatory school before and even took part in several missions. Maybe he decided it’s too much pressure,” another instructor repeated the rumors he’d heard. “With this kind of ability, he could have joined a military unit straight away—why waste four years by going to school?”

“So he attended a military prep school, I see…” At these words, the other instructors also woke up from their daze, their expressions saying ‘oh, now it makes sense.’ “I wonder who’s his mentor, to be able to nurture such a talent. I wonder if his family has a military background?”

The most senior instructor glanced in the direction where Xiang Aoting had disappeared. He gave a low cough, picked up his teapot, and left.

While applying the medicine, Xiang Aoting scolded Shi Jin for his “unique” way of going down the mountain.

Shi Jin sheepishly admitted his mistakes. He appeared very repentant at the moment, but whether he truly felt that way, only he himself knew.

Xiang Aoting looked at his lowered head and sighed heavily. “Xiao Jin, the military training is about to end,” he said. “When it does, I won’t be here to watch after you every day. You have to take good care of yourself.”

Shi Jin looked up at him. Seeing the worry in his brother’s eyes, he felt his heart soften. He nodded, replying, “I will, don’t worry.”

Death Progress Bar is translated by Betwixted Translations. Read on the original translator’s site to get the fastest updates!

The field training ended smoothly. Because the cadets had spent a lot of strength during the exercises, they were mercifully given the next day off. The inhabitants of Room 103 stayed in their room catching up on sleep—only Shi Jin disappeared in the early morning.

“Where did Shi Jin go?” one of the roommates asked.

To stick to the instructor, with “additional training” as a pretext, where else? He even put on the full set of the flag bearer’s uniform to highlight his good looks, Luo Donghao replied in his mind, jaded. He pulled the quilt up to cover his head, pretending that he didn’t exist.

Shi Jin did indeed go to Xiang Aoting wearing the flag bearer’s uniform, but it wasn’t to show off his looks—he wanted Xiang Aoting to take some photos of him in the military camp.

“Lian Jun hasn’t seen me wearing a full uniform yet, so I want to show him,” Shi Jin said, adjusting his cap. He walked to stand in front of the instructors’ dormitory building and glanced at Xiang Aoting, who was holding his mobile phone. “How about here? Is the light good?”

“Yes,” Xiang Aoting replied. As he watched Shi Jin stand under the tree, smiling brilliantly, he felt the corners of his mouth rise as well. He skillfully pressed the camera shooting button, saying, “I’ll borrow a real camera from the base later—let’s take a proper photo then.”

“Great!” Shi Jin’s smile became even more brilliant. Suddenly, he asked, “Fourth Brother, can we take a picture together?”

Xiang Aoting froze for a moment, then his expression warmed. “Okay, just let me change into my uniform too.”

The parade, the review rehearsal, the real review… Time flew so fast as if someone pressed the fast-forward button; before everyone knew it, the military training ended, and it was time to depart. Once, they couldn’t wait for this moment to come, but now that it was finally here, they wished it hadn’t.

To nobody’s surprise, Shi Jin won first place in military training. After the review, wearing his main flag-bearer’s uniform, he received the outstanding cadet and the best rookie medals and award certificates from the base commander.

After the ceremony, the whole squad took a group photo together, then everyone went back to the dormitory to pack up the sparse luggage they had brought when they came to the barracks. When they were ready, they came to the base’s entrance and, following their instructors’ arrangements, boarded the buses that’d take them back to school.

“I’ll miss you, sir,” Liu Yong sniffled. He cried so much his nose was running. In the beginning, he was the one that was the most afraid of Xiang Aoting, but now he became the one who was the most reluctant to part with him.

Xiang Aoting was not good at dealing with this kind of situation. He took the tissue handed to him by Shi Jin and gave it to Liu Yong, exhorting, “When you go back to school, attend classes properly, don’t slack off in your studies, and keep up training. Also, remember to treat your classmates well.” As he spoke, he briefly glanced at Shi Jin.

Shi Jin rolled his eyes. He couldn’t bear to listen to these clichéd farewell admonitions.

Watching their interaction, Luo Donghao thought that Shi Jin was sulking because he was upset that he had to separate from the person he liked. Frowning, he pushed Liu Yong aside, grabbed Shi Jin’s arm, and turned him so he was facing Xiang Aoting. “Go and give the instructor a hug. After we leave here, it won’t be easy for you to see each other.”

This… sounded strange.

Shi Jin looked at him sideways. A thought crossing his mind, he asked, lowering his voice, “You noticed?” You noticed that we’re brothers?

“You guys are so obvious, I’d need to be blind not to notice,” Luo Donghao said crankily.

So it’s this obvious. Shi Jin was a little embarrassed. He didn’t know how to explain why he was concealing his relationship with Xiang Aoting, so he simply followed Luo Donghao’s advice and walked to the side of the bus, stretching out his hands. “Come give me a hug. Your acting skills were so bad that Luo Donghao found out about us.”

Xiang Aoting had been paying attention to Shi Jin. Hearing his words, he immediately stepped closer and hugged him, then patted him on the shoulder. “It doesn’t matter, it’s not as if it’s some kind of a big deal. I’ll come to see you during my next leave.” Then he looked at Luo Donghao and said, “Xiao Jin is a little reckless. If you don’t mind, please help me look after him in school.”

“Why are you saying this? I’m not reckless,” Shi Jin complained, unhappy.

“Not reckless? Then what do you call rushing down the mountain like you did during the field training?” Xiang Aoting countered, frowning at him.

Sensing an impending quarrel, Luo Donghao interjected hurriedly, “Don’t worry, sir—Shi Jin is my friend and I’ll definitely look after him. And… I wish you both happiness, sir. I’m looking forward to drinking your wedding wine.” So please don’t let this turn out to be just a casual fling, that would be really tasteless.

Taken aback, Xiang Aoting and Shi Jin turned to stare at him, their expressions difficult to describe.

Luo Donghao was confused—why were they looking at him like that? Did he say something wrong?

Liu Yong had just come back after stepping aside to wipe his eyes and nose. He asked, bewildered, “You wish the instructor and Shi Jin happiness? Wedding wine? What? What’s going on, Donghao?”

When he spoke, he didn’t pay attention to the volume, and the squad members on the bus, as well as the cadets and instructors standing beside two nearest buses, all heard him. Anticipating some juicy gossip, everyone snapped their heads to stare at Shi Jin and Xiang Aoting, their faces shocked, disbelieving, suddenly enlightened… Their expressions changed so rapidly their faces were too unsightly to look at.

Alarmed, Luo Donghao immediately covered Liu Yong’s mouth. “What are you shouting about! Guys, he’s just talking nonsense, there’s nothing between the instructor and Shi Jin. They’re just normal—”

“Normal brothers!” Shi Jin cut in loudly. He jumped down the bus steps so he could stand next to Xiang Aoting and clapped a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “We are brothers—as in real, blood-related brothers.”

Xiang Aoting was very satisfied that their “secret” was discovered. However, he still kept a serious expression on his face and rebuked Shi Jin, “This is rude, remember that I’m your elder.” But he didn’t push Shi Jin’s hand off his shoulder.

Bro-brothers?!

Everyone’s mouths dropped open. They looked at Xiang Aoting’s masculine face and Shi Jin’s more of a “pretty boy” appearance, too shocked by this bombshell revelation to speak. They don’t resemble each other at all, and there’s a big age difference between them. Brothers? Are you serious?

Liu Yong struggled free of Luo Donghao’s hold. “But your surnames are different,” he said doubtfully.

“Because one of us uses mom’s last name and the other uses dad’s.” Shi Jin’s reply was deliberately vague, letting everyone misunderstand.

With an expression befitting a man whose world had just crumbled, Luo Donghao pointed his trembling finger at Shi Jin and Xiang Aoting, his mouth opening and closing. He looked at their faces, one solemn and one smiling, recalled their “ambiguous” behavior, and collapsed onto Liu Yong, suffocating.

So it’s like this, it turned out to be like this, these two are… Oh my God, he made such a fool of himself! Why couldn’t the ground open and swallow him!

Extra: On a day Xiang Aoting finally posted a photo of Shi Jin with a face visible

Rong Zhouzhong: Is this…

Li Jiuzheng: ?

Shi Weichong: Xiao Jin in uniform looks really dependable.

Fei Yujing: He’s tanned.

Rong Zhouzhong：Hey! Are those the point? Why is Fourth in this picture too?! Fourth, I don’t believe you don’t have a photo of Xiao Jin alone! I dare you to say you don’t!

Xiang Aoting didn’t respond.

Rong Zhouzhong: Fourth, you &##￥￥%%……

Li Jiuzheng quickly edited Xiang Aoting out of the photo and changed his profile picture.

A few minutes later:

Rong Zhouzhong: AH! Fifth! You actually have this kind of skill! Send me a copy in high definition, right now! Hurry up!

Li Jiuzheng: .

Rong Zhouzhong: Don’t play dumb with me! Fifth, you #￥%@&……

……

Xiang Aoting: [picture][picture][picture]…+n

Xiang Aoting: Sorry, I was having dinner with Xiao Jin. I do have his single photos, many of them.

Li Jiuzheng: ……

Rong Zhouzhong, whom Li Jiuzheng just “bled dry” in exchange for an HQ version of the edited photo: ………………

#The cry of Third Brother’s heart: These two younger brothers should just drop dead! Goodbye, cruel world!#

Translator’s Notes:

“Please don’t let this turn out to be just a casual fling“ – 露水姻缘 [lùshuǐyīnyuán] – lit. “dew romance” – casual romance; short-lived relationship; one-night stand. “This is rude, remember that I’m your elder” – I had to improvise a little for this to make sense in English. What Xiang Aoting says here is 沒大沒小 [méidàméixiǎo, lit. “no big no small”] – to have no sense of who is senior and who is junior; to show no respect to elders. It can also be translated as cheeky/impudent. (Source)