Chapter 75

Translated by boilpoil Edited by boilpoil

As Hopkin expected, the show showed Bright Ginger’s confession. The man shows no perceivable openings under the camera. There is no reaction, no comment, not even Hopkin could tell how he is actually feeling.

In place of that, there’s a comment barrage of “fuck him” “so sweet” “the main characters are distributing candies time to eat eat” “hope you’re together forever.”

Hopkin has his smart chip report them one by one. He has high moderation powers and immediately a whole group of people are silenced.

“Jesus Christ you’re an anti-fan aren’t you! You part of the 69 blasphemy?” Someone says after his silence is over. After that Hopkin kicked him out of the livestream directly. Despite this, he still can’t stop the fans’ passions. They talk about it themselves in forums or in groups if they’re silenced.

Hopkin looks at the man onscreen fixedly, feeling bitter.

There isn’t a gimmicky conflict like the first vlog. It’s serene and cordial, feeling a bit like going back to what makes a vlog a vlog.

His partner being his romantic interest, Ginger naturally doesn’t request anything over the line. He asks for a deluxe version of omelette fried rice.

Since they’ve made and had a meal before, Bright also knows Ronald’s tastes. He cracks several eggs, then adds many ingredients like shrimp, corn, carrot, beans, etc. It looks both colourful and beautiful. The two eat facing each other, chatting about the mundanities of life every now and then. The whole scene feels warm and bright.

They finish the whole plate, and Ginger is satisfied, “it’s really delicious. It feels like home.”

Bright returns Ronald’s favour with another, also making a simple request, “I want to buy a smart chip. Can you recommend a brand?”

Ginger says, “I don’t know that much myself. There’s many analysis and recommendations online…” He names some common brands, suggesting, “do you want to buy one in a physical location?”

Bright nods, agreeing.

The comments are going “oh my god let’s go meet them.”

Of course, nobody could do that.

After the livestream, Ginger brings Bright to a private shop selling second-hand. It is in a pedestrian walk in an old residential area. The whole street is filled with small mom-and-pop shops. There’s snacks, electronics and knick-knacks. It’s residential blocks around the pedestrian walk crisscrossed with side streets. There are also many small shops in them, and it’s hard to tell whether something illegal could be going on in there.

Ginger knows the owner of the shop, and the owner gives them a reasonable price. The type Bright picked does not have any particular features and has an outdated OS. It’s generations behind the newfangled smart chip, lacking even features like GPS. Bright is very satisfied with it, however.

They also take the chance to walk about the place. They each have a drink in their hand, drinking as they window-shop. They go here and there, as if drifting without purpose, but in fact, they occasionally walk in the blind spots of characters. They end up with over 10 minutes time where they’re gone from everyone’s sight.

Ginger’s heart is beating rapidly. He’s acting as a lookout at the entrance of the side street. He will alert Bright should anything happen.

Buying a smart chip is only an excuse. Bright makes his way to a designated location to trade with Alpha in accordance with what information Wolfie has provided. Given they’re all contestants of the show, their bracelets will record their positions. They can’t meet directly and a middleman will be required. Furthermore, it will have to be a middleman trusted by Alpha. Bright is a bit curious who that might be, and whether he can trust them.

The one who came is a middle-aged man with a strong physique. His movements are decisive and nimble. He’s a soldier. Bright is reminded of something and his eyes widen slightly.

“You’re the werewolf that ‘died’ in the third episode?” Bright asks.

He nods and admits it, greeting him in a simple manner, “number 199. You’re strong.”

“Thanks,” Bright says, “we all thought you were dead, especially Wolfie. He even wanted to kill me.”

He chuckles, “he’s an emotionally invested little guy.”

Since they don’t have much time, they stop chattering and the werewolf clears the mysteries up for him.

“Since I didn’t get the chance to advance then, I was feeling down and sinking into the swamp. I thought since I was going to die, I might as well die more quickly and be free for a few seconds at least. So I transformed, biting off my bracelet; however, the toxin in the bracelet failed to kill me, but instead put me in a state of suspended animation. My body was left behind on the show’s grounds, and I was not to die. I went into hiding after I woke up, discovering a series of hidden underground river networks on my way. I left signals overground that the leader noticed and he found me in episode four. He managed to get me out of the show afterwards.”

“I got into contact with an unlicensed physician and a bit of research showed the blood in our body is able to resist the toxin,” he takes a small vial out, “this is the manufactured product. If you inject it before breaking the bracelet, you’ll be fine.”

“There’s just one? Is the effect guaranteed?”

“Nope. Should be alright.”

Bright is quiet for a moment, a bit of suspicion on his face.

The werewolf is not particularly cordial either, “the data?”

Bright takes a u-drive out. He has singled out the information on werewolf manufacturing and copied it.

“None of us can verify their legitimacy right now.”

Both sides are gambling, both carrying risks. They knew they have no better choice, however, and they make a deal.

Before leaving, Bright remembers to ask, “who helped you escape from the show? How did you manage to live here without exposing your identity?” A Dog Soldier of unknown origins. How did he stay hidden up to now?

“It’s not something you need to know.”

The werewolves have people on the inside, Bright thinks to himself.

The two people spend a bit of time more on the pedestrian walk, and Bright waves goodbye to Ginger at 8. While on his way home he’s directly carried away. Bright hides the vial on himself and returns to Hopkin’s home looking the same as always.

“Did you miss me?” Bright first kisses his lover until he’s dazed, pushing him onto the back of the door with his hand behind his head so that it does not get uncomfortable knocking itself on the door. He pushes onto Hopkin forcefully, and spend a bit of intimate time.

Hopkin had a bad mood, but he’s enduring so that he doesn’t vent it out and again trigger Bright’s sensitivity on the relation of master and slave. Bright, who can feel him suppressing his dissatisfaction, takes it as proof that he cares about him, and feels sweet in his mind. He kisses him even more intensely.

The aristocrat’s taste is not merely sweet, but it is also a bit cool, a bit clear like mint, like ice cream, a bit enticing, exceptionally delicious.

Since their fight, Hopkin seems to have become more tolerant of him. He starts caring about what he thinks and avoids what might trigger him. This is making Bright more and more indulgent, unable to restrain himself when requesting of him. There are times when even he thought he might accidentally puncture his lover.

Hopkin chases Bright’s tongue. He is at an utter disadvantage compared to his physical prowess, and also in his relationship. His jealousy has went away when Bright kissed him. He barely maintains a straight face and says in a serious tone, “why a smart chip?”

Completely exposing the fact he followed Bright’s livestream.

His brown pair of eyes curl a bit, “so that I can contact you at any time.”

Hopkin becomes the first one on Bright’s contact list on his smart chip, not behind even the white lotus. It is improving his mood quite a lot.

As if trying to get himself praised, he says to Bright, “the Inner City residents are no longer considering you a suspect in the arson case of the show.” As for how, he will naturally not say a word of it.

Bright conceals his guilt, joking, “when it’s figured out who it was, tell me and I’ll send a fruit basket.” He’s a bit apologetic to Hopkin. The fire was started by him and Piers after all.

Hopkin glances at him, and warns him, even if powerlessly, “keep your distance from the other contestants.” All the CPs online are making his brains hurt.

Bright asks in laughter, “why’d they suspect me? I was going to win, what motive would I have to set fire to the place?”

“Since the apes are involved, Detective suspects you’re involved,” Hopkin analyses for him, “I believe the werewolves are suspicious as well. They did not want to enter conflict with you, and damaging the grounds can buy them time.”

“Certainly. Alpha knows about the secret of my body, and knows I can beat him.” Since Hopkin has most certainly had his doubts about this, and it’s probably not possible to hide, Bright admits it outright.

“Mm. Then it makes sense. The werewolves plan to rebel and escape, so they need to conserve power. They would of course not want to make an enemy of you. It seems like they no longer have the patience to wait, and will be making their move soon. It’s probably before episode eleven, so it’ll be these few days.”

How did Hopkin know about the werewolves’ plan?!

Bright is having cold sweat. Luckily he’s wearing dark-coloured clothes so that it isn’t obvious.

“Rebel?” He pretends to be shocked and ask.

“Yep,” Hopkin’s lips perk up, “congratulations on your number of competitors decreasing.”

Hopkin said these both as an exposition and as a warning. So that Bright no longer associates himself with the werewolves. He finally has Bright now, so he’ll not pursue what deal Bright has made with the werewolves, which likely involved him escaping with them together. Since it’s already failed, and he’ll never leave his whole life, then he might as well forget it.

Bright is feeling conflicted. The information on the werewolves’ escape is exposed. There’s a traitor among them or their allies. Would it have been from my side? No. From Hopkin’s tone, it does not sound like he’s angry or blaming. There must have been another source of information.

Though his deal with the werewolves is already complete and their relationship has ended, but if the werewolves exposed the fact that he could remove his bracelet…

Everything would be thrown into chaos. He would not longer lose Hopkin, but his whole position would be jeopardised.

He must alert the werewolves!

Hopkin does not know what Bright is thinking about. He sees Bright’s expression change. There is a pure, carnivorous desire in those brown pair of eyes, and his legs give out immediately.

“You…” He’s a bit frustrated. The man put his leg between his two legs, highly suggestive. He sees the man remove his jacket quickly, throwing it onto the ground and puts himself onto the table, as if preparing to execute him right there and then.

“Go to the room.”

Hopkin pushes his reddened face into the man’s chest, listening to him suppressing his laughter.

Bright fucks Hopkin until he faints, and as quickly as he could, he contacts Wolfie with his smart chip. He has remembered his ID in his memory before, but it doesn’t connect for a long time, making Bright anxious.

On the third try, it still doesn’t connect, but a message pops out.

“Who are you?”

Bright hesitates before inputting his own name.

The other person immediately calls, “dad!” It’s Hope’s voice, sounding happy. Bright is relieved.

“Hope. It’s an emergency. Call Wolfie here.”

“He’s not here.”

“Do you know where he’s gone?”

“I don’t know,” Hope can hear his father’s seriousness in his tone. He bites his lips, saying, “he’s strange today, even more talkative than usual, saying a whole bunch to me.”

Bright can feel an ominous premonition, “tell me what he said word for word.”

“He told me his game account and password, and… he said I was stupid, that I didn’t even know when I got betrayed, and told me not to trust people so easily like that after this.” While he didn’t name anyone, but the implication is clear. Hope did not like to listen to it, because the one he trusts the most is his own father.

Bright knows that it is him purposefully revealing the existence of Hope to Piers previously that has made Wolfie misunderstand. That’s not the point here, however, the point is the parting tone of Wolfie.

He didn’t expect Alpha to move so quickly. They’re immediately moving once they got the secret to creating werewolves.

Bright doesn’t know that this is partly his own fault. Since he is too threatening to the werewolves and the military are getting more and more impatient, urging the werewolves to deal with him and take the championship. This convinced the Alpha to stop waiting and move as quickly as possible.

It’s a trap!

Bright curses in his mind and tries to remain calm. He asks Hope to stay at home and forget everything he said.

“Alright, dad, I’ll delete the log of this conversation,” Hope says obediently.

Hanging up, Bright looks at his lover sleeping unconscious on bed. His expression changes a few times, revealing his inner struggles. In the end, he takes the vial out and drinks it, before breaking his bracelet off with a snap.

Author’s notes: History A-level question: Who is it that started the flames of armed revolution against the City?

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