Chapter Ch106.2 - Emotional Lock
translator: xiin
editors: apricot & juurensha
The two of them took turns taking bites of the pudding, getting closer with each bite.
Wu Jin’s breath was almost on Wei Shi’s face. The youth was slightly red behind his ears, and he couldn’t tell where the sweetness in the air came from.
Wu Jin suddenly leaned in beside his ear.
Wei Shi: “!!!”
Wu Jin: “Wei Shi! Do you want to go outside!”
The youth was caught unprepared and stared blankly, “Outside the base? I don’t know... the instructor said that it’s dangerous outside. You’re not allowed to go out. I’ll take a look when I go out on a mission.”
Wu Jin’s mood dropped. This was R-Code Base’s usual tactics. They used high pressure and intimidation.
The genetically modified subconsciously believed that their only safe zone was the base, and strength and glory came from ‘transformation’. The only meaning to their lives was to become experimental subjects for the Federation.
Wu Jin: “I’ve been...” Seeing that Wei Shi was shocked, he immediately added, “Just-just when I was tossed out of the iron gate.”
“Outside isn’t like what they say.” Wu Jin used a voice that only the two of them could hear, “There are tall buildings, clean streets.”
The little shortie’s soft, light voice hit his ears like the wings of a butterfly. Wei Shi spoke reflexively, “What...”
Wu Jin continued seriously, “There’s a very beautiful blue sky, grass lawns, twin towers.”
“And there’s an amusement park with a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel. Most people who live outside don’t have guns. At most, it’s just the air gun in the amusement park––there’s a row of small balloons, and when you pull the trigger, the balloon will pop with a bang! If you hit a lot of balloons, you can trade them for plush toys.”
“This big, a rabbit thisssss big!”
You were the one who helped me fire the last shot.
Wei Shi’s eyes flickered. Wu Jin looked at him closely, clinging to every little change in the big boss’s expression. The youth seemed to connect with his memories for a moment, but it was firmly pressed back down by his subconscious in the next second.
However, he clearly wanted to hear more.
The pointer of the clock moved to seven, and the bell urging the genetically modified to gather together rang out.
Neither of them were willing to take the last bite of the pudding. The caramel pudding was carved into a smaller and smaller piece before finally being forced into Wu Jin’s mouth by Wei Shi.
The two of them followed the bell to join the crowd of genetically modified who had all rushed to the training ground.
The instructors on the podium started to guide the youth to line up on the stage, lazy and proud as they went through the routine of driving their training.
Wu Jin had short arms and legs and couldn’t be seen when he mixed into the crowd. He darted over and stole a branch that had fallen to the ground.
Wei Shi raised his eyebrows.
After the drill ended, the genetically modified sat on the sand while the loudspeakers blared the rules of the base in a drowsy voice.
The two of them hid beneath the shade of a tree. Wu Jin used the branch to write and draw in the rough sand while Wei Shi bowed his head and looked on.
“The people outside will raise lots of pets.” Wu Jin waved the stick and drew a chubby rabbit head.
Wei Shi: “Like you?”
“!!!” Wu Jin’s cheeks puffed out, “No way, I’m not––”
Wei Shi: “Oh, your relatives.”
Wu Jin stopped trying to defend himself and wrote a 1 next to the rabbit, “This is the first one!”
After that came a black, meowing cat, “The second one.”
Then, there was the fluttering little Pterosaur, “The third one.”
On the stage, the loudspeakers had now switched to broadcasting honor notices for the genetically modified who’d completed their missions, mixed in with some news of ‘student so and so accepted a high-risk transformation and greatly improved their qualifications, becoming the chief of the 27th battalion’. The crowd of youths were enthusiastic and excited.
Beneath the podium, Wu Jin circled the three small animals together and drew two little people nearby. He smiled broadly, “Us.”
Wei Shi’s heart clenched violently. There seemed to be a torrent of warmth rushing through him, but on the surface, he categorically rejected it, “Raising three is too expensive. There aren’t enough green cards. I just want this one.”
Wei Shi circled the rabbit.
Wu Jin quickly explained, “There’s no need for green cards outside––besides, rabbits eat grass, Pterosaurs eat insects, and it’s only the cat food that’s relatively expensive! But we can earn it!”
Wei Shi: “How?”
Wu Jin was happy, “Reality show! Playing in instances!”
On the podium, the loudspeaker began to broadcast next week’s training arrangements and the extra quotas for transformations. The youths were all raring to go.
Off-stage.
Wei Shi was thoughtful, “What if you can’t win the instance?”
Wu Jin was nervous, “...I-I can write songs to make money...”
Wei Shi stared at him for a long time and finally pursed his lips slightly.
The youth’s face almost blended into the oncoming night, but the familiar, yet immature facial features firmly attracted Wu Jin’s eyes.
Wei Shi: “Interesting.”
Wu Jin suddenly said, “Then––don’t do the emotional lock.”
Wei Shi’s eyebrows twisted, and Wu Jin immediately changed tactics. The big boss had been in the R-Code Base since the beginning of his memories, and subconsciously knew that he had to undergo the emotional lock. It was too difficult to change his existing thinking, and he could only go step by step.
“Can you not undergo the emotional lock before the second transformation?” Wu Jin begged.
Wei Shi paused, “Why.”
Wu Jin looked at him, “We’ve only known each other for two days. You won’t remember me after you get the lock.”
The youth bowed his head to look at Wu Jin.
The little shortie had a slight, sweet fragrance in the night breeze. It seemed that his damaged vision would only brighten when it was focused on him. If the little shortie didn’t have him, the useless little fool would only be tossed out the gate.
Wei Shi spoke slowly, “Alright.”
Wu Jin was exultant.
The shrill bell exploded again, and the evening class ended. The materials exchange points opened up again.
Wei Shi bounced up out of conditioned reflex but hadn’t taken more than two steps when he turned back and quickly signaled for Wu Jin, the little shortie, to hold his hand.
The two of them followed the crowd to the various exchange machines until they reached a crowded corner––
Inside the pale blue exchange machine were dolls, balloons, and game machines offered at ‘sky high’ prices. The starting price was at least 100 tickets, and most of the youth had gathered here just to look.
Wei Shi raised his chin and indicated to Wu Jin that he should take a good look, “60 green cards are given for the second transformation, and 100 for the third. 200 are given for the fourth transformation, and after that, I can take on advanced missions that give 200 cards each time. If you want these things, we’ll be able to get them one day.”
“When we can trade in our merits––” Wei Shi lowered his voice, “Well, we can move out.”
Wu Jin smiled.
10 minutes later, the exchange time was up.
The two of them slowly went back to the dorm with the crowd. Wu Jin looked around as he walked, familiarizing himself with the R-Code Base and matching it up with Mao Dongqing’s map.
There were three red areas marked on the map, annotated as forbidden areas that were to be avoided as much as possible. After having been at the base for a day and a half, Wu Jin had already seen two of them.
The energy station and the armory.
In the dark, at the end of a road, Wu Jin finally saw the outline of the third place––a door that had been painted orange and was locked.
Wei Shi caught his gaze and immediately warned him, “You’re not allowed to go there.”
Wu Jin was curious.
Wei Shi frowned and spoke after a long delay, “Only one type of person will be sent in. Those who require their genes copied.”
Wu Jin: “What––”
Wei Shi: “Dead people.”
Wu Jin’s mouth opened in shock, and he was dragged away by Wei Shi the next moment.
At this time, a sudden uproar came from the crowd as two instructors appeared holding a list.
“Everyone quiet! Those whose names are called step out...”
The hand holding Wei Shi’s suddenly tightened.
Wei Shi’s lips pursed, “It’s fine, they won’t––”
“A Zone, #6634. Zhou Ke, third transformation.”
“A Zone, #8205. Wei Shi, second transformation.”
Wu Jin froze.
The transformation would take a whole day and wouldn’t take place at night. The only thing that could be completed in a few minutes was the emotional lock. Wu Jin suddenly spoke up, “Don’t––”
Wei Shi’s expression changed, “Wait here. I’ll apply for a delay for the emotional lock.” He paused for a moment, “If I don’t come back... wait for me in the dorm.”
Wu Jin refused quickly, “No way, listen to me––”
The two instructors nearby had also noticed the stir. Several of the base’s law enforcement officers carried guns as they headed for the two, and the crowd parted for them in fear.
Wei Shi clenched his fist and interrupted him, “Listen, I can’t get out of it.”
The law enforcers were taller and stronger than the 16 year old Wei Shi. They had a complete set of equipment and firearms, and he was soon pulled away by a black bracelet on his wrist. He argued fiercely with the law enforcement officers but was coldly rejected.
There was a sudden commotion from behind him. One of the instructors walked out and shrugged, “There’s a modified student who’s making trouble. Catch them.”
Wei Shi’s eyelids jumped.
Wu Jin was caught viciously and was soon hauled away in a different direction. Wei Shi suddenly spoke up, “Wait!”
Wei Shi paused after each word, “Bring him here, and I’ll do the lock now.”
The instructor was a little stunned but soon nodded, “Deal.”
A few minutes later, Wu Jin was once again escorted over.
The night wind was cold against his training clothes. If Wei Shi was closer, he would be able to see the cold sweat coming out of Wu Jin’s forehead.
The big boss wouldn’t be able to get out of his subconscious as soon as he entered the emotional lock.
Wu Jin’s palms were almost stained with blood from how tightly his fists were clenched.
The electric current in his mind was chaotic and unstable. Researcher Song, Mao Dongqing, and everyone else seemed to be trying their utmost to squeeze their thoughts through the intermittent communication.
“The fluctuations are over the threshold––”
“Little Witch, calm down––”
“The therapy companion can bear it for the patient, but, Little Witch, what’s your stress resistance rating? Will you suffer an emotional collapse––”
There was a click.
It was like a string in his mind had stretched and snapped. Mao Dongqing had cut off Researcher Song’s communication authority.
He was silent for a long time, his voice muted as he said two words, “Go, then.”
“Thank you.”
Wu Jin cut the communication.
He had a clear idea regarding the consequences of the decision he was about to make.
The knife inside the pocket of his training suit was cold.
Wei Shi stared at him from a few meters away.
Wu Jin’s lips moved, and he said, “Can I go over there with him?”
The instructor was initially reluctant, but thinking about how Wei Shi was difficult to deal with they finally agreed.
Wu Jin walked over and stood with his back to the instructor. He gently grasped the big boss’s hand.
The youth’s eyes were bloodshot, but his face was still stubbornly cold. He held Wu Jin’s hand, “Don’t worry.”
I won’t forget you.
The instructor skillfully activated the black bracelet on Wei Shi’s right hand.
A sharp blade suddenly stabbed in from inside the bracelet. Wei Shi accepted the pain and remained silent as the artery on his wrist was punctured, and blood flowed down from the wound.
In the next second, the emotional lock would be injected via the bracelet into his blood.
Fear, anger, anxiety, and depression would all pile up in an instant, memories would be thoroughly tossed around, and all visible and invisible wounds would be opened up again, flipping him inside out from the skin and flesh all the way down to his core.
When the emotional lock was implemented, the probability of collapse was as high as 40%. Wei Shi knew that he absolutely couldn’t be in that 40%.
His wrist was suddenly covered by a warm palm.
It seemed that there was another scalding liquid mixed in with the wound near his pulse point. Wei Shi looked down right in that brief instant.
Wu Jin took his hand back.
From more than 10 meters away, two other genetically modified students who’d just been injected with the emotional lock screamed at the same time. One of them was nearly crazy, and the other one was wailing.
“They’re done for.” The instructor tsked and sighed.
40% collapse rate.
Wei Shi frowned and waited for his memories to explode.
One second, two seconds.
There was no change in his perception except for the tingling sensation at his wrist. Just when Wei Shi thought that there was a chance that the bracelet had broken down, he lifted up his left arm and suddenly turned cold––
Wu Jin’s eyes were closed, his entire body trembling. His face was pale and almost lifeless.
Juurensha: Nooooo, Little Witch!
xiin: *Hugging self*
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.co(m)