The Seventeenth Seed

Zhenfeng had actually been awake since Qi Qi and Chengxin entered the room. However, he felt too awkward to get up and reveal himself, so he continued pretending to sleep, listening intently to the conversation between Jianyu and Qi Qi in the darkness of the room.

"How did she…" Jianyu let his question hang in the air, too heavy to fully articulate. But Qi Qi understood his meaning perfectly.

"Gege," Qi Qi took a deep breath, her tone shifting to something more serious. "There's something I need to tell you."

Jianyu watched her with curiosity, nodding slightly.

"The truth is, there are a lot of survivor groups out there now," Qi Qi began carefully.

"Oh, I've heard about that," Jianyu replied. "I figured my group couldn't be the only one still alive. But why? Are they causing trouble?"

Qi Qi nodded slowly. "They're not just surviving like you. Each group has its own mission, ge, and that's creating divisions out there."

Jianyu listened closely, his eyes reflecting growing concern.

"Some of them have a goal to 'cleanse' the earth of certain races," Qi Qi continued bitterly. "Others want to eliminate all queers from the world. To them, this disaster is a chance to reshape society according to their views."

Jianyu drew a sharp breath, trying to process her words. "Ah… so that's why Zhu Liying… is gone?"

Qi Qi nodded, her gaze falling as she struggled to hold back tears. "A-Ying was found out to have a girlfriend, but they didn't know her girlfriend was me. That's the only reason I survived. But I… I couldn't save her."

Jianyu felt a weight in his chest, as though he was sharing Qi Qi's guilt. "It's not your fault," he said softly, placing a comforting hand on Qi Qi's back. "Liying would never blame you. Nor would she want you to blame yourself."

Qi Qi wiped away the tears that trickled down her cheeks and gave a small nod. A faint smile appeared on her face despite her red-rimmed eyes. "Thank you, gege. It feels good to finally tell someone."

Jianyu returned her smile and pulled her into a brief hug. After releasing her, he asked cautiously, "Was that homophobic group… your group before?"

Qi Qi nodded, her voice calmer now but tinged with bitterness. "We joined them at first because of their research on the Black Bloom, ge. But after what they did to A-Ying, I couldn't stay there anymore."

Jianyu nodded, understanding her reasoning. "And Chengxin?"

Qi Qi gave a faint smile. "Chengxin likes boys. He got tired of pretending to like girls and acting all macho for them. So, he escaped with me."

Zhenfeng, still feigning sleep, felt his throat tighten at the revelation. 

A mixture of admiration for Qi Qi's courage and guilt for overhearing secrets not meant for him filled his heart. But beyond that, there was empathy—a growing sense that all of them, in their own ways, were fighting to stay true to themselves in this shattered world.

Qi Qi hesitated for a moment, as if unsure whether to continue. But eventually, she took a deep breath and looked at Jianyu with determination. "Gege… I heard rumors about The Butcher."

At the mention of that name, Jianyu immediately tensed. 

Even Zhenfeng, pretending to sleep, felt his heartbeat quicken. The Butcher was a name that struck fear in anyone who had lived through this broken world.

"I thought they were wiped out," Jianyu muttered.

"Everyone thought so," Qi Qi replied in a low voice. "But it turns out they're still around. They're no longer operating as a mercenary group since no one can afford to pay them anymore. The economy's completely collapsed, and no one's willing to trade food for killers."

Jianyu frowned. "So what are they now? Just another survivor group?"

Qi Qi shook her head slowly, her expression dark. "I don't know where they live now or how they're surviving. But one thing's certain—they've gone underground. And no one knows what their mission is anymore."

"Mission?" Jianyu repeated warily.

Qi Qi nodded. "Yes. They'll never become just another survivor group, ge. The Butcher has always had a purpose, and they're definitely doing something in the shadows."

Zhenfeng felt a chill run down his spine. Though his eyes remained shut, his mind was racing to process the information. If The Butcher was truly still out there, they could pose a greater threat than anything else.

"If they really resurface…" Jianyu's voice trailed off, his expression tense.

"They won't show themselves unless they're sure they can get what they want," Qi Qi interrupted. "And that's what makes them more dangerous. You'll never know when they'll come or what they're after."

The atmosphere in the room grew noticeably colder. Jianyu searched for some glimmer of hope in the news Qi Qi had just shared, but none presented itself.

"So now we're not just trying to survive in a broken world," Jianyu murmured, "we also have to watch out for them."

Qi Qi didn't reply, simply holding Jianyu's gaze in silence. In that moment, Zhenfeng, still pretending to sleep, knew he had to decide when and how to join this conversation. One thing was certain: this information couldn't be ignored.

System Warning: Water your crops before they wither.

System Warning: Water your crops before they wither.

System Warning: Water your crops before they wither.

Jianyu let out a long sigh, his expression a mix of annoyance and resignation. "Yeah, yeah! So noisy!" he muttered as he got up from his seat.

Qi Qi raised an eyebrow at him. "Eh, why'd you suddenly get up? Where are you going?"

Jianyu glanced at her briefly before replying, "I have to water my plants. If I don't, they'll die." Without waiting for a response, he walked out of the room casually.

Of course, Qi Qi didn't just stay put. She quickly followed after him. "Eh, let me and Chengxin help, okay?" she said, lightly patting his shoulder.

Still walking, Jianyu turned slightly and replied half-jokingly, "But actually help, okay? Don't slack off like Zhenfeng."

A small laugh escaped Qi Qi, while the sound of their footsteps gradually faded. Their conversation became inaudible to Zhenfeng, who remained in the room, still feigning sleep.

When Zhenfeng was sure they were far enough away, he slowly opened his eyes. The air in the room felt colder, though he knew it wasn't due to the temperature but to the weight of his thoughts.

He stretched his body slightly, trying to dispel the tension rising within him. But the more he replayed the information he had overheard, the heavier it seemed to weigh on him.

The information about The Butcher.

"If they're really still out there…" he murmured softly, his voice barely audible in the empty room, "I'm in big trouble."