Ruan Xing's face froze. He instinctively looked at Fu Zhi.

He had expected that his identity might be discovered eventually, but he never thought it would be this soon. Not only did he bump into Fu Zhi in this inhuman state, but that damn monster even exposed him. Now he had no idea how to keep pretending.

All because of that cursed illusion!

Ruan Xing held it in for a while but still had no clue how to explain.

He had no way to protect himself right now. What if Fu Zhi decided to hand him over? Just thinking about that made it hard to breathe.

Fu Zhi was still holding him, and Ruan Xing could clearly see the sweat on his forehead, sliding along the perfectly shaped jawline and sexy Adam's apple, disappearing into the collarbone's shadow.

Ruan Xing gritted his teeth, ready to give up and come clean. "Actually—"

Before he could finish, the little black puffball let out a muffled groan and collapsed with its eyes shut.

Fu Zhi's expression changed instantly. He quickly caught the puffball. "Ruan Xing!"

Ruan Xing curled himself up, tightly shutting his eyes. If puffballs could sweat, he would be drenched right now.

A wave of searing pain suddenly surged through his body. It felt like countless tiny people were working inside him, knitting sweaters with his veins, bouncing on his muscles like trampolines, and pumping his blood in and out. His bones and flesh all felt like they were about to split apart.

His vision blurred, and Fu Zhi and Fu Gui's figures overlapped in a haze.

Back when he was still human, magic had flowed through him as naturally as eating or breathing. But now, trapped in puffball form, the magic inside him was a chaotic mess.

Fu Zhi's wrist device started blaring in alarm as a label popped up: "S-class pollutant."

Fu Gui panicked. He ignored the fact that his feet were still wooden and scrambled over in a tumble. "Hey! Hey! Ruan Xing! Hang in there!"

Ruan Xing felt his soul being ripped from his body. He felt his consciousness rising, his body lost all weight, and he floated. From above, he could see Fu Zhi, Fu Gui, and the entire city withering beneath him.

It was like he had stepped out of that body and now existed purely as the soul of Ruan Xing, the mage. 

His thoughts gradually cleared.

Fu Zhi looked flustered, exactly like that silver-haired knight who once held him in his arms that night. Ruan Xing reached out with a hand that no longer existed, trying to get close, but it passed through him easily.

The magic inside him surged wildly. It was like a tangled yarn thrown into a washing machine. It should've gotten worse, but thanks to his natural talent, his subconscious began untangling it and calming it down.

Ruan Xing looked at the black puffball in Fu Zhi's arms, curled into a tight little ball. Soon, a strong pull came from that body, and he could feel himself growing heavy again.

He tried moving his hand and felt the sensation return.

He opened his eyes. The light was a bit harsh, but he could see pale, slender fingers glowing faintly in the morning sun.

They were not "Ruan Xing's" hands. They were different from his previous life as well. Fair and even, no calluses, no scars, and unlike his previous body, they felt strong.

Ruan Xing's eyes lit up. He stretched out both hands and examined them, unable to hide the delight on his face.

His magic began flowing instinctively. It felt smoother than ever. His body even felt lighter, and the sluggish weight was gone. He wasn't at his peak, but still way better than his previous state.

Fu Gui turned around silently. Fu Zhi, however, stood completely frozen.

The long-haired young man was completely unclothed, half-curled up on the green bits of plant debris that cushioned the ground. His long black hair draped over his pale skin, and his knees and elbows had a soft pink tint to them. The contrast of colors was visually striking.

His face was almost perfect, confused yet delighted. His emerald, green eyes were bright and clear, and right now, they were looking straight at Fu Zhi, his brows arching as he smiled.

Like a newborn god of love, that smile struck the deepest part of the heart, causing a numb and tingling sensation.

Fu Zhi felt something stir inside him, causing his Adam's apple to bob. He dropped to one knee, trying to hide it. Then he seemed to remember something, so he reached down and started undoing his belt.

Fu Gui heard the motion, turned his head, and shouted, "WTF?! You beast!"

But Fu Zhi merely took off his coat, and he gently draped it over Ruan Xing to cover the important parts. He was left wearing a black shirt that was half-tucked into his pants. The outline of his strong and lean muscles was visible beneath the taut fabric.

Ruan Xing blinked and found his gaze lingering a little too long on Fu Zhi's partially exposed chest.

Fu Gui: Damn it, am I the only pure one here?

"I really am Ruan Xing," the young man said, his voice still hoarse.

Right now, he looked just like the younger version of Mage Ruan Xing. The effects of the potion had lessened the gap between his soul and body, which gradually restored his power.

"After I got polluted, I turned into that… thing. You should know, Su Xiaona mentioned it. That rabbit turned me into that." Ruan Xing tested the waters, hoping to trick Fu Zhi.

But it was obvious that Fu Zhi was not buying it.

Ruan Xing sighed and continued in a muffled voice. "Alright. I do have some unusual abilities."

"Magic?"

Ruan Xing tugged Fu Zhi's coat tighter to cover himself. "Yeah."

Fu Zhi helped him wrap the coat around, almost like he wanted to swaddle him. "You're that mage from the illusion, aren't you?"

Ruan Xing's eyes widened. "So it was you!"

Fu Zhi nodded.

So, he had seen everything in those memories. There was no hiding it now.

Ruan Xing let out a long breath and carefully chose his words. "I was sleeping in the Mage Tower, and when I woke up… I was here."

But he had held back for so long. Now that he had someone to vent to, he couldn't stop. He didn't plan to say much, yet when he saw Fu Zhi's face, the frustration and confusion just came spilling out.

Fu Zhi stared at the young man's soft, red lips opening and closing.

He had been shocked when he realized Ruan Xing's true identity. But thinking about it, Ruan Xing had always been Ruan Xing. This was just a fuller version of who he was. Ruan Xing had secrets, but then again, so did he.

"Everything that happened in the illusion… was it all real?"

"Not all of it. But most of it actually happened," Ruan Xing answered, his voice muffled. He clearly didn't want to dwell on the past.

Hearing that made Fu Zhi ache inside. He wanted nothing more than to go back in time and personally destroy every last threat.

After he finished talking, Ruan Xing grew quiet, nervously fiddling with his sleeve.

Suddenly, a fresh scent surrounded him. He opened his eyes wide to find himself in a warm embrace. The heat from his body seeped through the thin clothes. He said nothing, but it felt like everything he couldn't say was already spoken.

Ruan Xing instinctively wrapped his arms around Fu Zhi's waist. He remembered that the man had lost a lot of weight, but under his hands were firm muscles and clear lines, which surprisingly felt nice.

He casually ran his hand over Fu Zhi's lower back.

Fu Zhi's breathing quickened slightly. "Don't," he muttered as he grabbed Ruan Xing's hand.

His wrist was a bit red from the grip. Clearly, Fu Zhi's mind was not calm.

Ruan Xing pulled away and looked at the flushed tips of Fu Zhi's ears. Then glanced down and suddenly realized, "Should I, uh, give you a moment?"

Fu Gui: Why am I being forced to eat this dog food?! 

Ruan Xing stood and tried to walk. Maybe it had been too long since he walked properly, because as soon as he stepped out, his left foot tripped over his right. He stumbled and fell straight into Fu Zhi's arms.

Ruan Xing: This scene feels oddly familiar...

Fu Gui: That fake Ruan Xing did the same thing outside the city when trying to seduce Fu Zhi.

History really did like to repeat itself.

Ruan Xing was stunned. He couldn't believe he had become one of those pretentious little flirts.

Fu Zhi frowned slightly. "Still not used to your body?"

Ruan Xing was about to say he just needed a minute, but before he could, Fu Zhi scooped him up in a bridal carry.

His cool and silky black hair draped over Fu Zhi's arm. The real sensation, though, came from Fu Zhi's hands. He smelled faintly of lily-of-the-valley.

Fu Zhi adjusted his hold. "I'll carry you. It's faster this way."

Ruan Xing: "Alright then."

Fu Gui: Someone, please, come and blind me.

Fuming, Fu Gui flew ahead to lead the way, leaving the two of them to stroll slowly behind.

Fu Zhi had incredible stamina. He had traveled seven hours to get there, fought an entire battle, and still managed to carry Ruan Xing all the way back to the landing spot without breaking a sweat.

On the flight back, maybe it was the unfamiliar body or the whirlwind of thoughts, but Ruan Xing barely noticed the discomfort of the aircraft.

This mission had been a huge gain. Not only did he get to revisit parts of his past, but he also acquired a brand-new body.

If his previous body had been a blocked pipe, then this one was now cleared and molded into the form of Mage Ruan Xing.

He still wasn't as powerful as he had been in his past life, though. Hundreds of years of experience couldn't be replicated with one potion. But at least he was no longer just an ordinary, powerless human.

High-level spells like Death Curse still required more power, but for most regular spells, he had almost no restrictions now.

As they approached the base, Ruan Xing saw the familiar outline of the tower from the plane.

"That tower… when was it built?" Ruan Xing turned and looked at him. The spare clothes on the plane were a bit big, so the collar gaped slightly.

"Five years before the apocalypse," Fu Zhi replied, eyes straight ahead.

What a coincidence.

It was almost like they had known the apocalypse was coming and built the tower in advance.

"With the old social order, a structure like that shouldn't have gotten approved so easily."

"Exactly. But because of that, some things became easier."

It all came down to money and power.

Ruan Xing stared at Fu Zhi. He wanted to ask so many things. He wanted to know if he remembered those memories... If he were truly the same person. But Fu Zhi's expression was unfamiliar. It didn't carry the emotions Ruan Xing remembered so he could only shut his mouth as his eyes dimmed slightly.

Maybe… they weren't the same person. Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

He didn't know why, but after this mission, he found himself being more cautious around Fu Zhi without even realizing it.

—

Just like last time, Fu Zhi brought him straight to the testing center.

The same inspector from before saw Ruan Xing and froze.

Why does the Major General always go for black-haired beauties?!

Was the gossip true? That he just could not let go of the new guy from his team?

That face, neither masculine nor feminine. Tall, elegant figure. That waterfall of long black hair and those emerald, green eyes.

The Major General really didn't discriminate with such a broad taste...

"No identity chip," the inspector muttered in shock. 

Where did this person even come from?

"Make a new one," Fu Zhi instructed the researcher.

Normally, people without chips weren't allowed inside the inner city. But Fu Zhi was clearly not normal.

Fu Gui let out a sigh. "Good thing your man's got skills."

Ruan Xing: [Can you not keep calling him 'my man' every time you open your beak?]

Fu Gui gave him a look. "Then what? Your sugar dog?"

Ruan Xing glanced up and down at Fu Zhi and muttered, [I mean… I wouldn't mind.]

Fugui practically exploded: Holy crap, what a legend!

—

Fu Zhi brought him back home. Ruan Xing was already familiar with the place, so without needing help, he picked a spot and curled up as Fu Zhi pulled out some casual clothes from the wardrobe. 

Ruan Xing took off the oversized combat uniform, kicked off his shoes, and revealed his pale toes that tinged with pink against the cool floor.

Fu Zhi glanced over, then quickly looked away.

"There were a lot of spores on the aircraft. After the Quarantine Center handled them, they sent me a sample."

Ruan Xing was biting a hair tie while loosely gathering his long hair. His emerald eyes looked over. "Spores?"

The mycelium stretched from his hand, sniffed around his hair, then naturally coiled into place, becoming a white band that tied his hair tightly.

"Chen Yihang got the results. Those spores probably caused the illusion."

"So, we're still in danger?"

"No. The spores lost activity after the city collapsed. It's fine now."

Ruan Xing let out a breath of relief.

Bang! Bang! Bang! 

A loud knock came from the door.

Fu Zhi frowned.

Ruan Xing said, "I'll go hide in the bedroom."

After closing the bedroom door, Fu Zhi opened the front door.

A flash of pink hair darted in.

"Captain!" Bai Xu barged inside, eyes scanning around.

Fu Zhi: "Why are you here?"

Bai Xu just returned from a mission, and since Ruan Xing's "death," his mood had been pretty bad. After all, they had fought side by side, and to be honest, they got along well. The guy was reliable, and it was a real shame that he died.

He had taken on two extra missions out of frustration, and only today did he hear that Fu Zhi was back.

Everyone at the testing center was buzzing with gossip.

Fu Zhi was getting worse. Not only did he bring back that bird, but now he had found some black-haired girl with green eyes from who knows where.

Bai Xu was heartbroken. He wanted to rush in and yell some sense into Fu Zhi, but he didn't dare.

Thus, he came straight to Fu Zhi's house, planning to tell the girl the truth himself.

He slipped in and glanced around. He saw the crow watching TV and the closed bedroom door.

Fu Zhi noticed too and quickly stepped in front of it. "What are you doing?"

Bai Xu stomped his foot. "Captain, you're being stupid!"

Then he reached for the door handle.

Fu Zhi grabbed his wrist hard. Bai Xu turned pale. His ring melted and twisted into a small snake, aiming right at Fu Zhi.

"Bai Xu!"

"Captain, I can't let you stay blind!"

Click.

The door opened.

A tall, black-haired beauty stood there, a few strands of hair falling over their chest. Their expression was somewhere between amused and annoyed. "What's going on?"

Bai Xu stared at that face, dumbfounded. All the words of warning died in his throat. Instead, he awkwardly stammered, "So… do you, uh, need a boyfriend?"

Fu Zhi's face darkened instantly.