DA chapter 66

The spot on the revolver where Yan Xu had touched it was still warm, but the warmth faded quickly. By the time Lin Jia caught the tossed gun, its body was cold and only its owner’s fingerprint remained on the grip.

Lin Jia looked up and saw that Yan Xu had already started asking questions.

Yan Xu: “Does Chen Zhao Di have a younger brother?”

Lin Jia frowned slightly. The “does” in this question could not yield a precise answer directly. If the protagonist, Chen Zhao Di, had no younger brother, the Fishman’s answer would be “no.” If she had multiple younger brothers, the answer would also be “no.”

He stared at Yan Xu’s back.

After two instances, Lin Jia had stored several labels about Yan Xu in his mind: likes courting death, saintly, average temper, acceptable face, passable body, has some brains, not hard to trick.

Someone like this wouldn’t make such an idiotic mistake and waste a Fishman question unless he had already made up his mind and wanted to bombard the Fishman.

Lin Jia parted his lips: “Idiot.”

“Does Chen Zhaodi have a younger brother?”

“Yes.”

Although Yan Xu’s first question did not count as a waste, Lin Jia maintained his judgment and did not change his evaluation of Yan Xu’s behavior.

Yan Xu asked again. “Is Chen Zhaodi supporting her younger brother?”

The Fishman answered: “Yes.”

At this point, the remaining two safe Fishman questions for today were used up. Yan Xu turned to look at Lin Jia, then waved his hand, signaling for him to stand farther away so that the Fishman could not see Lin Jia.

Lin Jia looked calmly at Yan Xu. This person seemed very experienced in using this bug, knowing that Fishman tasks sometimes implicate people nearby.

Since Yan Xu had instructed him to do so, Lin Jia could not waste his good intentions. He withdrew his gaze and leaned his back against the pillar.

Behind him, Yan Xu started asking the Fishman questions again.

“Chen Zhao Di and her younger brother have a significant age difference.”

“No, but…” The Fishman’s voice became excited. “Why don’t you personally ask Chen Zhao Di how many years apart she and her younger brother are?”

The Fishman began assigning tasks. The task time was not mentioned, but when Lin Jia entered the first Fish Belly of the Underwater Wold, he had already completed Fishman tasks.

A six-hour task limit.

If Yan Xu kept quiet at that moment, he could easily find out the younger brother’s age from Chen Zhao Di within six hours.

But Yan Xu continued.

“Chen Zhao Di started supporting her younger brother at seventeen.”

“Yes.” The Fishman’s voice became more and more excited. He didn’t care at all that Yan Xu had just triggered a Fishman task one second ago.

The Fishman said: “Why not dig a little deeper? On which day of her seventeenth year did Chen Zhao Di begin supporting her younger brother? But you only have three hours left.”

Lin Jia quietly listened to the Q&A behind him. He had guessed that Fishman tasks would reduce the time limit, but he did not expect the second task to cut it directly in half.

Starting to support her younger brother at seventeen meant that she was still of school age.

Lin Jia had started school early and skipped grades, so he did not know what grade a normal seventeen-year-old should be in. He remembered the general school starting age for primary school was seven, then at seventeen that should be high…

Lin Jia calculated: seven years old first grade, eight years old second grade, nine years old third grade… actually if Yan Xu shut up now, there was still a way to live.

Yan Xu had now taken two Fishman tasks: one requiring completion within six hours and another within three.

However, both tasks centered around Chen Zhao Di. Completing one would also complete the other. After all, Yan Xu was captain of the inspection team, so Lin Jia thought he should still be capable of this.

The sound behind him did not stop.

“Chen Zhaodi gave up her studies to work and support her younger brother.”

“Yes.” The Fishman was extremely excited; every word stuck together in its voice. “Why not find out Chen Zhaodi’s first job, but hurry, you only have one and a half hours left.”

Lin Jia was expressionless—Yan Xu most likely had no hope now.

The Fish Belly scene was limited to the Yile Maternal and Child Health Hospital. Unless Chen Zhaodi’s first job was at Yile Hospital, Yan Xu would absolutely be unable to complete the third Fishman task. Not to mention, he only had one and a half hours—even ten or eight years would not be enough time.

“Meow meow.”

In the stairwell, the cat that had lured the nurses away finished the task Lin Jia had arranged. Remembering that Yan Xu and Lin Jia using the bug, it found a chance to come over and poke out its fat cat head to look at Lin Jia.

“Meow meow.”

It hooked its paw twice, signaling for Lin Jia to come over and stand beside it. It wanted to know the current situation and wanted Lin Jia to explain.

Lin Jia raised his eyes, which were heavy.

Cat: “… ”

The cat saw the word “get lost” in Lin Jia’s gaze and fell into thought, wondering when it had offended him.

Lin Jia could not be bothered with this stupid cat. If Yan Xu was really the cat, and Yan Xu died, Lin Jia wouldn’t wait for the cat to dissipate on its own. He would strangle the cat immediately, letting its consciousness be buried with the original body.

He had always repaid grudges. The cat had dragged him into the Underwater Wold, so naturally, he would not let the cat go.

“Has Chen Zhao Di ever resisted her family?”

“Yes.” The Fishman said. “Why don’t you personally verify how she resisted her family? You don’t have much time left—only five minutes and six seconds.”

One Fishman task after another was behind him. No one knew how many tasks had been assigned to Yan Xu. With the time limit cut in half, only five minutes and six seconds remained.

Lin Jia lowered his eyes, looking at the revolver in his hand.

He lowered his eyes and blinked: “Seven.”

He calculated it—Yan Xu had already taken seven tasks.

“Does Chen Zhao Di have psychological defects?”

“Yes,” the Fishman said hurriedly. “Why don’t you find out what caused her psychological defect? Do you still have time? You only have two minutes and eight seconds left.”

Lin Jia counted: eight.

In such a short time, Yan Xu had taken eight tasks on himself.

There was no turning back now. The road behind him had already collapsed, leaving only the path forward. However, the road ahead was not free of obstacles either. After two minutes and eight seconds, the path in front of Yan Xu would also collapse.

He raised his arm and pulled down his sleeve with one hand, revealing the priceless watch on his wrist.

In an instant, Yan Xu’s countdown to death had only one minute remaining.

“Chen Zhaodi’s younger brother has long been accustomed to his sister’s support.”

“Yes.” The Fishman went mad with excitement. “Why not try supporting a younger brother yourself? Reminder: You only have one minute and four seconds left.”

“Does Chen Zhaodi hate her own name?”

Lin Jia slowly wiped away the remaining fingerprint on the revolver. He listened for movement behind him.

“Yes, why not give her a name she likes? But think quickly because you only have seven seconds left.”

Seven, six, five…

The revolver shone like new again. Lin Jia turned and looked at the Fishman.

Life had entered a final countdown, yet Yan Xu was not affected at all. He even heard the sound of fabric brushing against the stone pillar when Lin Jia turned.

He turned his head.

The two looked at each other.

Four, three…

Yan Xu raised an eyebrow and curled his lips. “Oh, I know the Soup Base now.”

He showed no sense of urgency. As he spoke, he lowered his gaze to check if Lin Jia had kept his weapon properly.

Only then did he look at the Fishman: “Chen Zhaodi has a younger brother two years younger than her. Since childhood, she has felt her parents’ favoritism toward her brother. Their family situation was not good. At seventeen, she dropped out of school to support her younger brother’s education. Her first job was as a hospital caregiver. Hospital corridors are always filled with devout prayers. She couldn’t help but wonder: If she were ever pushed into an operating room, would her family pray for her too? After spending enough time in the hospital and witnessing many partings of life and death, Chen Zhaodi’s perspective slowly changed. She believed that her family being safe was already fortunate. Even though her parents favored her brother more, she could still occasionally feel family affection. She worked even harder, but as her younger brother grew older, the money demanded by the family increased, almost like bloodsucking.

It was just like the lump of flesh she painfully nurtured, yet it was taken away and exchanged for money. Chen Zhaodi resisted, but her parents were skilled at moral kidnapping and easily seized her weakness. She resented it, but she couldn’t cut it off. So, she could only support this deformed family day after day.

She does have certain personality defects. This was caused by her first job. Many critically ill patients wanted to go home in their final moments. Home was a harbor both loved and hated by Chen Zhaodi. She hated herself for not being able to cut it off, yet she longed for the warmth of home.”

The Fishman froze, the smile on its face disappearing.

Its gaze was like needles, wishing to stab Yan Xu to death.

Yan Xu reached out and touched the Fishman. His palm rested on the Fishman’s sticky, slippery head. “Don’t you think you’re very cool? At seventeen, you went out into the world alone with nothing while others were still reaching out to ask for things from home. You were already able to stand on your own. So be a little braver. Cut off all those deformed, ugly burdens, and you’ll become indestructible and unstoppable.”

Lin Jia looked at Yan Xu. In their limited time together, this was a new side of Yan Xu that he had seen.

Yan Xu: “Oh, I do have an idea for the new name you want… how about Ren Feng?”¹任風 (Rèn Fēng) is a name with layered meanings. The character 任 can mean “to let,” “to allow,” or “to endure,” and is also a common surname, while 風 means “wind.” Together, the name can suggest ideas such as “letting the wind come,” “standing against the wind,” or “remaining true to oneself despite external forces.”

Yan Xu said loudly: “After countless grinding and blows, it still remains firm and strong. Let the winds from east, west, south, or north blow as they please”²This comes from Zheng Xie’s poem Bamboo and Rock. The poem depicts bamboo rooted in stone, symbolizing toughness, moral strength, endurance under pressure, and an unyielding spirit that refuses to bend despite hardship.

You can read the full completed story here with instant full access. ✨

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  任風 (Rèn Fēng) is a name with layered meanings. The character 任 can mean “to let,” “to allow,” or “to endure,” and is also a common surname, while 風 means “wind.” Together, the name can suggest ideas such as “letting the wind come,” “standing against the wind,” or “remaining true to oneself despite external forces.”
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  This comes from Zheng Xie’s poem Bamboo and Rock. The poem depicts bamboo rooted in stone, symbolizing toughness, moral strength, endurance under pressure, and an unyielding spirit that refuses to bend despite hardship.