Chapter 10: Tao Yaoyao
After helping Anning finish up, Ren Jie quietly slipped back into his room...
Their home was the kind with a storefront on the first floor and living quarters above. It had two bedrooms and a living room—Anning had one room, while Ren Jie shared the other with Tao Yaoyao.
The room was about ten square meters, divided in the middle by a curtain. Ren Jie slept on the left side, and to the right by the window was Tao Yaoyao’s area, where she was now sound asleep.
Having spent the whole day busy, Ren Jie threw himself onto the bed, just about to rest when his phone began vibrating furiously.
He quickly covered the phone and slipped under the covers. It was a flood of messages from Nuoyan, all filling the screen.
Her online name was Old Siji, and her avatar was a sleek, high-displacement motorcycle.
Old Siji: (A red orangutan holding out its hand for money, gif ×10)
The orangutan looked completely justified, and on its hand was a brightly photoshopped “ten episodes.”
“Send it quickly! The night is long, can’t sleep, waiting online, urgent!”
Ren Jie covered his face, amazed she still remembered.
His own avatar was a sneaky-looking man in a black T-shirt with short hair and glasses, going by the name Brother Jie.
Brother Jie:
[Outdoor...•mp4]
[Private Tutor...•mp4]
[Office...•mp4]
[Tenth Anniversary...]
...
Ren Jie didn’t hesitate and shared a batch of videos with Nuoyan, since they had agreed on this before. After all, Ren Jie had been a helpful kid since childhood.
Old Siji: (ʃƪ⁰̷̴͈꒨⁰̷̴͈) “Oh wow! Oh ho ho~ The young man has quite the stash~ Future spiritual nourishment all depends on you now!”
Brother Jie: “Young people still need to practice moderation~”
(Brother Jie pushing glasses with a sly smile, gif)
Old Siji: “Who asked you? But since you’re so cooperative, here’s a little science lesson.”
“Those bound by a demonic contract usually hide their true identities, disguising themselves as ordinary genetic warriors. If you don’t want to be hanged or burned alive by the Heavenly Gate Church, it’s best to keep a low profile.”
“Study mode, do not disturb!”
Ren Jie smiled wryly—they had guessed right...
Indeed, for many reasons, the identity of a demonic contractor was sensitive.
If you didn’t want trouble, it was best not to reveal it.
The black fragments came from a top-level demonic disaster in Jincheng ten years ago. That event was likely more complicated than it seemed. Ren Jie was young then and couldn’t recall much; he’d need to investigate when he had the chance...
His phone buzzed with numerous messages—over 99 from 206 part-time job groups, along with messages from Wei Pingsheng and Tian Yu inquiring when he’d come to scold Auntie Da...
Ren Jie replied to each message carefully.
...
In the life quarters of Huatian Laboratory, Nuoyan had just finished showering, naked, humming a little tune:
(ง⁼̴ ꇴ ⁼̴)ว “In the little garden, digging, digging, digging~ hehe~”
She rubbed her wet hair and reclined on the bed...
Her blindfold was off. Her left eye wasn’t blind, nor did it have a mechanical implant, but its iris was Emperor Purple, giving it a particularly eerie look...
With great enthusiasm, Nuoyan snuggled into the blankets, licked her lips, and opened her phone...
“Hey~ Let’s start with this outdoor one first~”
As soon as she opened the video, lively sounds burst forth.
“Macaraca~ Akawaka~ Mikamaka~ Mmm~”
Watching several Teletubbies happily clapping and dancing in the outdoor garden, Nuoyan’s expression instantly froze.
"(º口º*)...
This is the outdoor? Collector’s edition?
Nuoyan gritted her teeth, refusing to believe it. She clicked through the videos one by one, determined to find something different.
“It’s him~ It’s him~ Our friend, little rascal~”
“You hold the load, I lead the horse~”
“Young man~ Do you believe in the light?”
“Braving wind and rain, no fear~ la! lalala~”
“Wait, stare, wait~ Welcome to the news broadcast, prosperity! Democracy! Friendship! Unity...”
Nuoyan: !!!
(งᵒ̌皿ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃ “Ren! Jie! You’re unbelievable~ Still playing Macaraca? I was so looking forward to it!”
And here I was, all dressed and ready after my bath, full of expectations.
Furious, Nuoyan grabbed her phone and let loose a torrent of messages.
...
At home, Ren Jie glanced at the chat window and silently switched his phone to Do Not Disturb mode.
Old Siji: [⁾⁾) 60”]•
[⁾⁾) 60”]•
[⁾⁾) 60”]•
(งᵒ̌口ᵒ̌)ง⁼³₌₃ Ahhh!
Obviously, sixty seconds was just the limit for Feixin voice messages, not Nuoyan’s limit.
A faint smile tugged at Ren Jie’s lips, a look of satisfaction on his face. He wondered if his videos had brought any comfort to Nuoyan’s fallen spirit.
He didn’t feel the emotional mist growing stronger—this stuff clearly had a range for collection.
Just then, Ren Jie was startled to notice the mist above Mirror Lake beginning to thicken in wisps.
Its source wasn’t Nuoyan's but came from beside him.
Behind the curtain, faint groans of pain were heard, and Tao Yaoyao stirred uneasily beneath the covers.
Clearly, these emotional mists came from Tao Yaoyao, who was enduring extreme agony at this moment.
Ren Jie hurried over and threw back the covers. Tao Yaoyao was curled up in a ball, dressed in pink rabbit pajamas, the sheets soaked with sweat.
Both her legs and one arm were heavily bandaged, and on her shoulder was a black, snake-like demonic mark.
The skin around the mark looked as if it had been corroded by acid—blackened, hardened, even cracked, resembling dark scales...
This was demonic mark disease, an incurable illness that emerged along with the temporal-demoniac abyss.
To this day, humanity had not found its cause—it seemed random. Current medical technology could only suppress it and ease the pain.
No successful cures existed. Demonic mark disease was like an unrelenting nightmare, a maggot in the bone, tormenting the patient until death.
Tao Yaoyao was diagnosed at five years old, the same year her father Tao Ran sacrificed himself to save Ren Jie...
When it rains, it pours; the hemp rope breaks at its weakest point...
At fifteen, an age when life should be full of growth and vitality, Tao Yaoyao was still tormented by illness...
Covered in demonic marks on her legs and arm, she was barely able to move and confined to a wheelchair.
She was like a canary trapped in a cage, and this cramped, tiny room was her entire world...
“Are you having a flare-up? Why aren’t you making a sound? Did you take the painkillers?”
Ren Jie approached cautiously, gently helping Tao Yaoyao into a comfortable position...
Then he turned to get the medicine.
Tao Yaoyao was beautiful—a round, chubby face with a hint of baby fat, imbued with the innocence of youth. Her large eyes sparkled with vitality; her small cherry lips and delicate nose gave her a sweet, harmless little sister aura.
But at this moment, tears welled up in her eyes, her smooth black hair drenched with sweat. She gripped the sheets tightly, watching Ren Jie’s back...
“Brother—I don’t want to take it anymore. I can bear it. The painkillers are expensive and running low. How many part-time jobs do you have to do? How many times does mom have to wash clothes for us to…”
Ren Jie ignored her protests, pouring out the painkillers and stuffing them into her mouth.
“It’s just painkillers, I can afford it. Just take it, don’t worry. The suppressant can wait a bit longer; I’ll gather enough money.”
Tao Yaoyao was already in the third stage of demonic mark disease. Without suppressants, the marks would spread rapidly. They couldn’t delay any further.
But the suppressants were even more expensive than genetic drugs.
Tao Yaoyao shook her head, her eyes red and swollen.
“Brother—maybe... stop the treatment. Demonic mark disease can’t be cured. Taking suppressants is just wasting money.”
“I’m going to die sooner or later. If I die, you can go to college, and mom won’t be so exhausted, I…”
Her voice grew quieter with each word...
Ren Jie stood by the bedside, expressionless but his eyes sternly fixed on her.
Tao Yaoyao knew he was angry.
She timidly pleaded, pitiful and weak:
(๑ᵒ̴̶̷̥́～ᵒ̴̶̷̣̥̀) “Brother, don’t be mad. I... I won’t say anymore, okay?”
Only then did Ren Jie sit on the edge of the bed, pulling Tao Yaoyao into his arms and gently patting her back.
“I know you’re in pain, but you have to be strong. I will cure you, no matter what it takes!”
“When you’re better, you’ll take care of me and Auntie Anning, alright?”
“Don’t worry about the suppressants. Once I become a formal member of the Siyou Bureau, I’ll get the benefits of a Siyou officer. If a family member is seriously ill, the Bureau issues medical subsidies…”
“It will get better. Everything will be alright. I promise…”
Ren Jie kept comforting Tao Yaoyao, but in truth, he was comforting himself.
This was why Ren Jie had given up the chance to attend university, insisting on joining the Siyou Bureau.
The genetic drugs were secondary; the medical subsidies were the real goal.
“Brother~ Hold me while I sleep~”
“You’re too old for that. No way! Brothers and sisters don’t do that~”
(๑◔◡◔ิ) “Hmm~ (acting spoiled) But we’re not kissing, right?”
“No hug, go sleep!”
“Then at least hold my hand? If not, I’ll tell mom you’re hiding the Sacred Light Codex under the nightstand! Three volumes of the Absolute Realm, two volumes of…”
(•́ω•̀ ٥) “Oh~ My dear little sister, would you like to hold left hand or right hand?”