Futile Devices Scans

It had just rained, and the gloomy sky was reflected in the puddles on the ground. The murky colors were suddenly shattered when a black sneaker stepped into the water. Filthy droplets splashed outward, breaking the tense, oppressive atmosphere.

“An Xu, watch out!”

“Move, Xiao An!”

Amid the startled cries, the handsome young man slowly raised his eyes and saw a criminal charging straight toward him. Although the sky was dim, the dagger clutched tightly in the man’s hand still flashed with a chilling gleam. In the blink of an eye, he was already upon him!

“An Xu, run! Hurry!”

Was that the captain of the Cybersecurity Brigade? An Xu wondered distractedly. That man usually sounded like a hanged ghost, breathing out more than he breathed in. Who would have thought he was capable of shouting himself hoarse?

His attention wandered again when he saw the policewoman chasing after the criminal. An Xu could not help clicking his tongue inwardly. She was getting married next week—why was she still participating in operations?

Then he became a little troubled. How much money should an intern like him put in her wedding envelope? Would he be able to earn it back by eating enough at the banquet?

“An Xu!”

“Xiao An!”

With the sharp sound of air being split apart, the gleaming dagger rose before his eyes. Only then did alarm strike An Xu’s heart. Faced with the choice of covering his head where he stood or fleeing like a frightened rat, he swiftly turned sideways instead. His left foot pivoted lightly against the ground, while his right foot stepped forward. He drove his shoulder beneath the criminal’s armpit, bent his left arm, and swiftly seized the man’s wrist.

“Motherfucker, you came looking for death from Grandpa!”

Lowering his body and borrowing the force of his opponent’s forward momentum, An Xu abruptly exerted his strength and executed a beautiful shoulder throw!

The criminal rolled through the air in a less-than-graceful arc before crashing heavily onto the ground. Water splashed everywhere, creating quite a commotion.

The policewoman following close behind immediately rushed forward and kicked the dagger out of the criminal’s hand. The others swarmed over and completely subdued him.

“Not bad, Xiao An. That takedown was textbook-perfect. Have you trained before?”

The members of the Criminal Investigation Squadron gathered around and took turns patting An Xu’s shoulder. “This man is the suspect’s bodyguard. We accidentally let him escape while closing in on them. We thought a baby-faced rookie like you would definitely end up as a hostage today. Who knew you’d help us finish work early instead? Xiao An, you didn’t graduate from a police academy, did you? Those movements really were clean and impressive.”

An Xu stood dazed for a moment before realizing he had truly thrown the criminal. He looked at the sharp dagger lying nearby and, still shaken, wiped the hot sweat from his palm against his trousers. Cautiously keeping a low profile, he replied, “I learned a little. That’s the only move I can perform properly.”

That was actually the truth. An Xu had once received special training at the best security company in Yancheng. However, he had merely accompanied someone there, and most of his attention had been focused on the food in the cafeteria. He had picked up only one or two moves and thought he had long since forgotten them. Unexpectedly, in a moment of danger, his body had dredged up that distant memory and saved his life.

Someone laughingly offered him a cigarette. “Xiao An, our squad leader is always telling us to learn from you. He says you’re refined and actually look like a real university student.” The cigarette was pushed directly between An Xu’s lips, and the man cheerfully brought over a lighter as well. “Unless I heard wrong, you cursed just now, didn’t you? It sounded pretty fluent.”

An Xu carefully thought back but could not remember what he had casually shouted while throwing the man. It was probably one of Xue Bao Tian’s usual “grandpa” and “grandson” insults. After hearing them often enough, he had naturally learned them.

Over the years, he had accumulated many “uncles” and picked up all kinds of habits. Now, bringing out the skill he had learned from Lin Zhi Yi, he somewhat awkwardly removed the cigarette and asked, “This counts as meritorious service, right? Will there be a bonus?”

By the time he returned to the police station, working hours had already ended. An Xu glanced at his phone and, unsurprisingly, found the screen filled with calls from his mother.

He called her back while walking, but the instant the call connected and he said, “Mom,” he abruptly stopped.

Slowly taking one step backward, An Xu held the phone and looked toward the temporary detention room.

Beyond four or five men with full-sleeve tattoos, through the overlapping gaps between their bodies, An Xu saw a cold, indifferent face.

The man’s brows were faintly drawn together, and his fringe fell naturally, half concealing his long, narrow black eyes. Their outer corners tilted slightly upward, and his nose bridge was high. Even though An Xu could not see him clearly, the arrogance in his expression was still evident from the cold, hard contours of his face.

Now those eyes lifted lightly and looked through the layers of bodies toward him. The ink-black pupils were clearly pure and unclouded, yet so deep that not the slightest emotion could be discerned within them.

Their gazes met, only to be blocked by someone the next moment.

A drunken face pressed against the iron bars. “Oh, this police officer is pretty handsome. You look even hotter in that uniform. Want to get acquainted with this brother?”

Several more faces squeezed between the bars, their breath thick with alcohol. “Officer, get a policewoman to interrogate us. Make sure she’s fierce—the fiercer she is, the more excited we’ll get.”

The first man disagreed. Smacking his lips as he stared at An Xu, he said, “Why ask for a policewoman? Isn’t this one the station beauty? So pale and so—” Before he could finish, he clutched his backside and shrieked, “Fuck! Who the hell kicked me?”

A thump came from inside the detention room, followed by a low, drawn-out voice. “Me.”

At the sound, the drunken men hurriedly straightened up. Even the man clutching his backside looked deferential and respectful.

The man sitting on the long wooden bench rose and walked out of the dim corner. As he passed the man holding his backside, he tilted his head and murmured into his ear, “You may not want to get out early, but don’t drag everyone else down with you. Do I have to cripple what’s between your legs before you stop ruining my plans?”

Only after the man retreated behind the others, trembling with fear, did he lazily lean against the wall beside the iron bars. He raised his chin toward An Xu. “Officer, I’m thirsty. Could I have a glass of water?”

An Xu looked toward the surveillance camera in the corner, then said into the phone, “I’ll be home soon. I’m hanging up.”

“Thirsty?” After ending the call, An Xu moved a little closer to the iron bars and deeply engraved the person inside into his eyes. “Isn’t there already enough dirty water inside your stomach?”

“I only asked for a drink. Why is the officer insulting me?” The voice behind the bars remained cold and lazy. “Even if good and evil cannot coexist, this is still a society governed by law. Human rights must be respected.”

An Xu slowly clenched his fists. He glanced at the camera again, suppressed the urge to hit him, and turned to leave, only to be grabbed.

The warmth of the man’s palm burned through the fabric against his skin. His fingertips seemingly brushed An Xu’s wrist by accident. An Xu’s eyelashes twitched twice before he lifted his eyes and met the man’s gaze.

Other than its unfathomable depth, it still revealed nothing.

“I really am thirsty. Don’t be so stingy, Officer.”

An Xu looked at him and silently reviewed Xue Bao Tian’s usual curses before saying, “Why can’t an officer be stingy? Stay thirsty, Little Trash.”

An Xu stood outside his front door for quite a while. Only after adjusting his state of mind did he take out his key and open it.

“Mom, I’m home.” He placed his backpack on the cabinet beside the entrance and lowered his head to change his shoes. “What are we having tonight? I’m starving to death.”

“Eat, eat, eat. All you think about every day is food.” An Xu’s mother suddenly stopped. Remembering that they had a guest, she reproachfully tapped her own mouth, removed her apron, and came out from the kitchen to pull An Xu over. “Come, Mom will introduce you to someone.”

A young woman rose from the sofa as she spoke. She had delicate features and a slender figure. Her elegant smile felt as refreshing as a spring breeze.

“This is Yue Ning, the daughter of one of Mom’s colleagues. She’s visiting our home today, so keep her company properly.”

An Xu was pushed forward by his mother. After awkwardly greeting the young woman, he tried to escape. “I still have some work I haven’t finished…”

“There’s no rush.” An Xu’s mother firmly pressed her son onto the sofa. “You can deal with it after dinner.”

“It’s actually quite urgent. My superior is waiting—”

“If Auntie says it isn’t urgent, then it isn’t urgent.” The kitchen exhaust fan was turned down one setting. A tall young man emerged from the kitchen and placed a plate of red-braised pork on the dining table, interrupting An Xu once again. “But since you just came in from outside, wash your hands first, Brother Blade.”

The man walked around the dining table, politely nodded to the young woman, then passed her and approached An Xu. Stopping in front of him, he lowered himself and met his eyes. “Why are you spacing out? Come on. Let’s wash our hands.”

An Xu was pulled to his feet and led across more than half the living room. Only when he stepped into the bathroom did his soul finally return to his body.

Before he could react, the man behind him smiled and pushed him inside. “My hands are oily too. Let’s wash them together.”

The instant the door closed and locked, An Xu was pressed against it. The man’s smile changed from bright and warm to sinister and chilling. “Officer An, long time no see.”

An Xu struggled faintly. “It has been a long time. Bai He, you disappeared for another three months. If I hadn’t seen you at the station today, I would’ve forgotten someone like you ever existed.”

“What a shame I couldn’t make Brother Blade’s dream come true.”

“Weren’t you being detained at the station? How did you get to my house?”

Bai He tightened his hold, his scorching breath falling over An Xu’s lips. “I was thirsty, so I came to ask for a drink.”

The kiss fell abruptly. It was not gentle and was even somewhat impatient and rough, as though he truly were desperately thirsty and eagerly seeking the sweetness between An Xu’s teeth.

An Xu was displeased and pressed his lips together in resistance. Bai He’s assault slowed, and he threatened him against that softness. “Your skin marks at the slightest touch. If you don’t want your mother to notice, behave. Don’t make me use force.”

An Xu was so angry he wanted to curse. He had just found one of Xue Bao Tian’s recent, particularly vicious insults in his memory when the moment he opened his mouth, Bai He seized the opportunity and invaded, breaking through every defense.

After losing again and again with nowhere left to retreat, An Xu simply gave up. Let him kiss. The sooner he finished, the sooner An Xu could eat.

Besides, An Xu had never been good at controlling himself. Once the kiss began to feel good, he set his temper and anger aside. His bones softened as he hung from Bai He’s body, practically inviting himself to be bullied.

An Xu had been chubby as a child. During puberty, he shot up in height and slimmed down, but not into the bony sort of thinness. He usually appeared tall, slender, and refined, yet there was softness beneath his lean frame—a pleasure one could only discover by holding him.

Bai He coaxed him, “Lift it and let me kiss you.”

Naturally, An Xu refused. Bai He did not bother persuading him further and simply followed the corner of his lips downward.

“Wait, wait.” An Xu yielded to Bai He’s wishes. “Kiss somewhere covered. If you leave marks on my neck, we’ll both die tonight.”

Bai He lifted his eyelids, his gaze icy. “Afraid your future girlfriend will see?”

An Xu pressed him against his collarbone. “Are you kissing me or not? If not, I’m going to eat.”

At the dining table, An Xu’s clothes were perfectly neat. Only his lips and the corners of his eyes were somewhat red. His arms unconsciously pressed against his chest, where the faint, scattered pain reminded him of how inhuman Bai He had been moments ago.

That dog. He had bitten viciously anywhere no one could see.

“Xu Xu, come help me bring out the soup.” An Xu’s mother gave him a meaningful look.

“I’ll do it, Auntie.” Bai He stood.

“Sit down and eat properly. You already helped plenty in the kitchen.”

Seeing his mother wink so furiously that her eyes nearly cramped, An Xu stuffed another piece of red-braised pork into his mouth before standing. The dish was Bai He’s cooking, and An Xu only got to enjoy it once every three months, so he naturally found it difficult to part with.

Hot soup was ladled into the serving bowl. An Xu stepped backward to avoid the scalding steam. “Mom, what do you want to tell me? Go ahead. I’m listening.”

An Xu’s mother set down the ladle and poked him in the forehead. “It seems you haven’t become completely stupid. You know I called you in here because I have something to say.”

“All these years, whenever Bai He is at our house, you’ve always made him do the work. When have you ever asked me to help?”

His mother glared at him in frustration. “So you admit you’re useless? Bai He is a hundred times more capable than you. Look at him—handsome, highly educated, sweet-talking, and good at housework. What do you have that can compare?”

An Xu thought of Bai He inside the detention room: his cold and ruthless face, his bottomless gaze, and the group of lawless gangsters following behind him. Compare with him? Compare who caused more trouble? Who had been detained more often? Or who bit harder?

An Xu pressed his arms more tightly against his chest. “So what are you trying to say, Mom?”

“Yue Ning is the girl I introduced to you, but Xiao He is more presentable than you in every way. Aren’t I afraid she’ll fall for him instead?”

“What do you mean, ‘oh’?” An Xu’s mother continued. “Be more attentive later. Talk to the girl, put some food in her bowl, and improve her impression of you.”

An Xu sighed and casually brushed her off. “Mom, if you keep lecturing me, the two people in the living room will probably have children by the time we get back.”

An Xu’s mother slapped her forehead. “Right, right. Hurry outside. You’re already mediocre in every respect. If you don’t seize the advantage, you’ll have even less of a chance.”

An Xu carried the hot soup out of the kitchen and placed it on the table. When he returned to his seat, a cold towel soaked in chilled water had already been placed before him. Lowering his eyes, he clicked his tongue softly and wrapped the cool cloth around his burning palm…

An Xu sent a message to the WeChat contact he had just added and breathed a sigh of relief after receiving a reply.

An old willow tree stood beside the window. It was midsummer, and its branches and leaves were lush and green. Whenever the breeze stirred, the willow fronds swayed gently, brushing again and again against Bai He as he leaned by the window smoking.

Bai He exhaled smoke and asked without turning around, “That girl was forced to come on the blind date too, wasn’t she?”

An Xu lifted his eyes from the chat window. “How did you know?”

“Brother Blade.” Bai He looked back through the countless trailing willow branches and crooked a finger with a smile. “Come kiss me, and I’ll tell you.”

An Xu turned off his phone screen and placed it on the table. His gaze swept across the framed photograph sitting there. Two young boys stood on either side of the old willow tree outside the window. They did not look particularly friendly, but they had still awkwardly taken a photograph together.

An Xu touched the photograph and said in a low voice, “Let’s tell my mother the truth. I don’t want to keep pretending anymore.”

The smile disappeared from Bai He’s face. Holding the cigarette between his teeth, he pushed aside the swaying willow branches. “I grew up without parents. Ever since I met you, Auntie has treated me like her own son. She always saved the best food and drink for me, while you were the one she scolded. Yet I turned around and stole her son. That isn’t honorable. I genuinely don’t know how to tell her.”

“How did you manage to open your mouth when you kissed and bit me?”

Bai He chuckled, pulled An Xu close, and coaxed him while rubbing the softness at his waist. “Let’s wait a while longer.”

“Until when? Until you go undercover and—assuming you don’t die—come back to tell her?”

Bai He turned his gaze away and looked through the waves of green toward the distance. “How did you know?”

“You’ve been causing trouble frequently lately, and the people following you are all unfamiliar faces. Every time you’re detained, someone quickly pays bail and gets all of you released. Smoking, drinking, fighting, and causing disturbances—aren’t you trying to infiltrate the gang as quickly as possible? So, have you made contact?”

Bai He extinguished his cigarette and looked at An Xu again. “I have. Brother Blade, I need to leave for a while. After today, unless I contact you first, don’t try to reach me.”

An Xu remained silent for a long time before walking to the window and wrapping his arms around Bai He’s waist from behind. His voice was soft. “Don’t cut off contact between us. I can help you.”

Bai He reached back and stroked An Xu’s smooth hair, smiling as he said, “You know the thing I can resist least is Brother Blade acting spoiled. I haven’t gotten to enjoy it many times in this life, but this time I truly can’t agree. I know your technical skills are excellent and that you’re a top-tier hacker, but you don’t know the details of the operation. Contacting me or tracking my location without authorization could affect the entire mission.”

Bai He’s expression turned serious. “Many lives are at stake, as is the success or failure of the operation. An Xu, I truly can’t risk those things.”

The arms around his waist tightened. An Xu’s voice was muffled against Bai He’s neck, sounding somewhat hoarse. “Can you tell me where you’re going?”

“No.”

“Inside the country or abroad—you can at least tell me that.”

“I can’t tell you that either.”

An Xu scoffed. “Fine. Then take off your clothes.”

Bai He abruptly turned to look at the handsome man. “Weren’t you refusing to sleep with me? Changed your mind?”

“Mm. I changed my mind. I’m going to sleep with you. Who knows how long you’ll be undercover? I don’t want to wait.”

“Stop imitating Uncle Xue. SpongeBob isn’t suited to cursing.”

“Even a soft SpongeBob can still sleep with you.”

Long fingers reached toward Bai He’s belt but were caught by the wrist.

An Xu grew annoyed. “This isn’t allowed either?”

Bai He suppressed the enormous desire inside him, his voice low, hoarse, and slow. “Xu Xu, if I get a taste of you, I really will become distracted.”

An Xu moved closer little by little until their foreheads touched. He asked softly, “What happens if you’re distracted?”

“I don’t know. But I do know that I haven’t even left yet, and I’m already missing you like crazy.”

At dusk, the isolated park was gradually wrapped in layer after layer of darkness. The sudden explosion of fireworks drove the night away with a moment of brilliance, illuminating this secluded corner in dazzling light.

In the clearing, Bai He and An Xu sat side by side as they had thirteen years ago, gazing up at the colorful night sky.

“When are you leaving?” An Xu asked calmly.

“The boat departs at three in the morning.”

“Will you get promoted and receive a raise after completing the mission?”

“Probably.”

“Will you give me all the money you earn?”

“Mm. I’ll spend it all buying meat for you.”

An Xu smiled and lay back on the grass, one arm beneath his head, his eyes filled with brilliant flowing colors.

“I’m afraid I might not get another chance to eat your red-braised pork.” He glanced sideways at Bai He, whose brows were slowly drawing together. “I’m not that gay. Maybe I’ll click with some girl. By the time you return, my child might already be old enough to set off fireworks. What would he call you then? Great-Grandpa Bai? Your seniority might as well pierce the heavens.”

“Little Fatty!” Bai He sprang up and pounced on An Xu. “You’re not that gay? When we were sixteen and bathed together, who got so flustered just from looking at me that he had a nosebleed?”

Being called “Little Fatty” struck directly at An Xu’s sore spot. “When you carried me to the infirmary after I fainted during military training at seventeen, who had an embarrassing reaction?”

“Who told you to be soft everywhere? And when we were eighteen, weren’t you the one who showed me that video?”

“Weren’t you the one who pressured me into helping you that night?”

“Weren’t you the one who secretly kissed me in the middle of the night?”

“Weren’t you pretending to be asleep and letting me secretly kiss you for an entire semester?”

“Weren’t you always kissing me and distracting me so badly that I only ranked second in the grade that semester?”

They exposed each other’s old secrets until the atmosphere became tense. Bai He waited for An Xu to continue, but the other man fell silent. After a long time, An Xu asked softly, “Bai He, what do you think will keep you from getting distracted—sleeping with me, or not sleeping with me?”

Bai He looked at the man beneath him, his eyes filled with the bonds of all their years together and a yearning that had seeped deep into his bones.

“Sleeping with you.” He kissed him hard. “I’ll come back. I promise.”

The hand undoing his buttons was gently stopped. An Xu slowly lifted his neck. “You don’t have to hide it. Everything I have is yours. Kiss me here. Harder.”

The fireworks descended, leaving pale-blue streaks across the sky. Darkness folded around them again, swallowing even the low sounds of their breathing. “That year… Uncle Xue and your boss seemed to get sick for more than half a month after watching the fireworks.”

Bai He smiled and kissed him, answering distractedly, “How could they not get sick after doing it outdoors in the freezing cold?”

“We’re still smarter.”

“Mm. Brother Blade is smarter. You chose summer.”

Smack! A pale wave of flesh rolled over, and one unfortunate mosquito met its end.

The End

Elio’s Notes: That’s it for this everyone. This is the best I’ve read from Su Er Liang so far. My personal fave. Thanks for reading! Feel free to leave a review about No Such Bird at Novel Updates here.

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