Summer vacation finally arrived amid the students’ eager anticipation. With a slouchy messenger bag hanging diagonally across his body, Ke Bu hurried through the scorching sunlight. The fierce glare made him squint as he stepped across the shadows of the surrounding pedestrians, cursing his damned alarm clock while rushing straight toward the railway station. After having his ticket checked and entering the waiting hall, there was no need to search. His extraordinarily conspicuous companions could be spotted at a glance. Each had a different style and wore brightly colored clothes: Ying Xiu Jie with his short golden hair and healthy dark skin; Chu Hao Yu in sunglasses and fashionable clothes; the slender, fair-skinned, delicate, and lovable Gong Zhu; the plainly dressed, fresh, adorable, and bashful Zhou Xin He; Zhang Luo, looking exceptionally sleazy as he typed on his computer behind thick glasses; and Su You Yan, leaning against the wall while reading, beautiful and strikingly elegant. She had not dressed up in any particular way, yet she possessed an innate attraction. The only one remaining was that person. He wore a pale-colored shirt, jeans, and denim canvas shoes. His baseball cap was pulled low, but the outline concealed beneath its shadow was enough to make anyone’s heart pound uncontrollably. Zhi Li’s legs stretched slightly forward as he lounged lazily against the back of his chair, one hand resting on the armrest while the other played with his phone. A group like this naturally attracted the attention of everyone passing by. It was difficult not to look twice. Dressed simply and neatly, Ke Bu adjusted the messenger bag behind him and walked over. “Sorry, I’m late. I was delayed because I helped an old lady cross the road.”
Ying Xiu Jie raised his arm and checked his watch. “Did you also pick up one yuan from the road and hand it over to a police officer?”
“Are you questioning my character?”
Su You Yan pushed up her glasses with her book. “Does your character still need to be questioned? Go explain yourself.” After speaking, she lifted her chin toward Zhi Li. Ke Bu shrugged. “Tch~~ Now you’re questioning our relationship too? How could something this minor damage the harmony between Zhi Li and me?” Ke Bu walked over to Zhi Li. His head was lowered so far that Ke Bu could not see his face.
Zhi Li held his phone while his fingers moved at astonishing speed. Ke Bu could see one game level after another being demolished. Zhi Li said softly, “Do you know how late you are?”
Ke Bu put on a falsely innocent smile and scratched the back of his head. “Haha, it hasn’t been that long, has it? Hahaha~~”
Zhi Li finally raised his head, though his fingers never stopped playing. “Who’s laughing with you, you bastard? Do you want me to personally tear that fake innocent face off you?” Ke Bu took one step backward, his eyes widening in terror. Was this a joke? Zhi Li’s long-absent dark transformation had returned!!
“Try taking one more step back.”
The others said nothing and merely pretended to occupy themselves. Those who practiced punching continued punching, those reading continued reading, those whistling continued whistling, and the one staring at breasts continued staring at breasts. Everyone knew that once Zhi Li darkened, he spared no one. Since Ke Bu had already walked straight into the line of fire, all they could do was serve as the firm support behind him—by pushing him closer to the muzzle. As long as he blocked all the bullets, they would not have to worry about being struck by stray shots. Ke Bu swallowed with difficulty. Seeing that not one person was willing to help him, he deeply felt the coldness of human relationships. Suddenly disregarding everyone around them, he threw himself forward and hugged Zhi Li’s leg. “I’m begging you. Forgive me.”
“Whether you beg is your business. Whether I forgive you is mine. Get off. It’s unbearably hot.”
“For the sake of the Earth, we should pursue peace and oppose violence.”
Zhi Li pinched Ke Bu’s cheek and lifted it. He used his left hand, while the fingers of his right never stopped moving. “Do you not understand human language, or have you simply never heard it before?”
“It hurts, it hurts. Be gentler.”
“You bastard, are you even a man? You’re already crying out over this much? Then how about this?” Zhi Li increased the pressure. This was precisely why Zhi Li’s dark transformation was so terrifying. If you did not beg for mercy, he would torment you viciously. If you did beg for mercy, he would still torment you viciously. There was no emergency exit.
“I-It’s fine. I can endure it.”
“Since you can endure it, I assume pressing a little harder won’t matter.”
Only when the announcement reminded passengers that ticket inspection for the train had begun did Zhi Li finally release Ke Bu. To add insult to injury, he rubbed the fingers that had pinched Ke Bu’s face back and forth against Ke Bu’s clothes twice before standing. Having narrowly escaped death, Ke Bu rubbed his reddened cheek. He now had only one question: why had Zhi Li’s phone still not frozen? Zhi Li walked toward the platform while continuing to play his mobile game. After taking several steps, he turned around, looked at his luggage, and then looked at the group. “You bastards, have none of you ever heard of taking the initiative?”
Chu Hao Yu lunged forward and picked up Zhi Li’s luggage. Only then did Zhi Li turn back around and continue walking alone at the front, with no one daring to approach within even a single step. Chu Hao Yu glared resentfully at Ke Bu. “This is all your fault. How could you leave Zhi Li outside for more than an hour in weather this hot?”
“Who knew it would be this hot here? You should’ve told me earlier that he had darkened so I could prepare myself mentally.”
“Which one of your brains told you I was that kind?”
Ying Xiu Jie rushed ahead quickly with his luggage. Just as he was about to catch up with Zhi Li, he ran back again. He could even turn this into exercise!! Ke Bu thought Ying Xiu Jie’s bag looked rather strangely shaped. “What do you have in there?”
“Dumbbells.”
“Can’t you bring something normal for once?!! Who goes traveling with a dumbbell?”
“What kind of person do you take me for? One dumbbell? I packed four in each bag.”
“Pretend I never said anything.” Ke Bu then glanced at Zhang Luo beside him. At least Zhang Luo was traveling lightly, having brought only a laptop.
“Where are your changes of clothes?”
Zhang Luo stared at Ke Bu in astonishment, as though he had asked an exceptionally strange question. “Why would I need changes of clothes? The outfit I’m wearing should last at least ten days to half a month.”
“If you keep looking at me with that surprised expression, I’m going to strangle you. What about underwear?”
“I’ll just borrow some from someone when the time comes. Either you or Ying Xiu Jie can lend me a pair.”
“Don’t even dream about it,” Ying Xiu Jie and Ke Bu said almost in unison. Ying Xiu Jie continued, “I’ll lend you a dumbbell to hang down there.”
The defining trait of this group was that they glittered like gold and jade on the outside while being stuffed with rotten cotton within.
The air-conditioning in the sleeper carriage was the most adorable thing in the world. It slowly dissolved Zhi Li’s dark transformation. Su You Yan checked the time and estimated that it should be safe before softly calling, “Zhi Li.”
“Mm?” Zhi Li answered faintly.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and began taking out snacks and playing cards. Gong Zhu and Zhou Xin He became flushed with argument while discussing the same magazine. When Zhang Luo stuck his saliva-covered fingers into Ying Xiu Jie’s bag of chips, Ying Xiu Jie pinned him against the train window and beat him. The carriage was filled with a scene of warmth and harmony. Chu Hao Yu shook his head and sighed. “We’re out in public right now. Could you people stop behaving so uncivilized? Who wants to play cards? Every time you lose, you take off one piece of clothing.”
Ke Bu kicked off his shoes, stretched out his legs, and placed his feet on the opposite berth. “Even if I stripped completely naked, would you really be happy?” Chu Hao Yu waved him away like a fly. “I don’t want to be traumatized just as my summer vacation begins. Only Zhi Li possesses that kind of courage.”
“What’s that supposed to mean? My body is beautiful, with skin so delicate it could break beneath a breath. You can ask Zhi Li about that. He’s the best witness.”
“What?” Zhi Li answered lazily from the upper berth, his fingers still not leaving his phone screen.
“Stop pretending you didn’t hear me. Answer properly.”
“What?”
“You’re hurting me!!”
Zhi Li extended a hand toward the opposite side. Without looking up from her book, Su You Yan reached into her bag, took out a sketchbook and pencil, and passed them to him. Zhi Li continued using only that one hand as he opened the sketchbook and drew quickly. Before long, he threw the sketchbook down. “I’ve drawn your body as I remember it.”
Ke Bu’s face suddenly turned bright red. He stepped forward and snatched the sketchbook from Chu Hao Yu’s hands. “Who gave you permission to draw my beautiful naked body? Hurry and tear it out. What am I supposed to do if someone sees it and this turns into a ‘sketchbook scandal’?”
Chu Hao Yu stared inexplicably at Ke Bu. “Friend, you’re thinking far too much.”
Ke Bu took the sketchbook he was clutching to his chest and opened it. All that appeared on the page was a crude stick figure: one circle for the head, another circle for the body, four lines for the arms and legs, and then a clump of grass beside its feet. Enraged, Ke Bu climbed toward the upper berth. “I should’ve guessed. How could you possibly draw something human beings can understand? Since you used only two circles and four lines to humiliate me, just watch me kill your game character.” As he spoke, Ke Bu lunged forward to snatch Zhi Li’s phone. Zhi Li blocked him with one hand, allowing Ke Bu to cause chaos on the cramped upper berth. Ke Bu grew increasingly frustrated because Zhi Li’s defenses were too strong, leaving him no opportunity to strike. Completely unmoved, Zhi Li kept his eyes on the little character inside the game and said coldly, “If it dies, you won’t remain alive either.”
Ke Bu immediately stopped moving. He then shouted down at Ying Xiu Jie, “Where did you put the phone charger, you useless idiots? What are we supposed to do if the phone runs out of power!!”
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Futile Devices Scans 
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