Chapter 72

“No need.” Tao Shushu said thoughtfully, “Nan Yuan, stay far away from Dr. Xie later.”
Dr. Xie gathered everyone in the hall.
Just as Nan Yuan was about to head there, he noticed a small blade of grass wriggling.
He turned on his heel and returned to his room.
Tao Shushu was instantly furious. “Someone has been through your room.”
“It’s someone sent by Dr. Xie.” Nan Yuan’s expression darkened. “It seems he’s very concerned about my mother.”
Tao Shushu patted Nan Yuan’s head. “I’ll teach him a lesson later.”
Nan Yuan arrived at the hall. Over the past few days, he had been assisting in setting up the intelligent defense line, allowing him to subtly alter a few small things. For instance, placing a sound source behind Dr. Xie that could simulate the sound of flatulence.
Nan Yuan positioned himself in the farthest corner of the hall. He always chose a spot behind the crowd in any environment, a position that allowed him to advance or retreat as needed, so it didn’t seem out of place at all.
Zhou Yan arrived a bit later. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, he still acted as if he was angry with Nan Yuan.
As the two passed each other, Nan Yuan reminded him, “Protect your sense of smell later.”
Dr. Xie was just about to begin an impassioned speech.
Tao Shushu poked Nan Yuan. “Nan Yuan, remember to hold your breath.”
Dr. Xie, standing at the front of the crowd, glanced at Nan Yuan with a look of absolute certainty, as if he were eyeing a fish on a chopping block.
Tao Shushu felt no hesitation. Since Dr. Xie had schemed against Nan Yuan first, she was merely going to make him lose a little face.
Opening the in-game store, Tao Shushu spent two gold coins to purchase a stink bomb.
The stink bomb was described as having the odor of rotting flesh in a swamp, capable of quickly inducing vomiting in enemies and being extremely irritating to the eyes. Moreover, it had no physical form and wouldn’t be detected.
After making the purchase, Tao Shushu quietly waited for the right moment.
Dr. Xie remained completely unaware of the impending olfactory assault.
He trembled as he stood up, and it took his assistant a long time to persuade him to sit down and speak.
Tao Shushu found it slightly ridiculous. In the midst of an apocalypse, time was precious. With artificial intelligence potentially attacking at any moment and plants undergoing constant mutations, everyone had halted their tasks to listen to Dr. Xie speak. If one person wasted five minutes, a thousand people would waste five thousand minutes.
In five thousand minutes, Bloodsucking Grass could multiply into ten thousand plants and extend the defense line by several kilometers.
Tao Shushu rolled her eyes, convinced that Dr. Xie had ulterior motives.
Dr. Xie began, “As one of the few remaining scientists, I believe it is my duty to stop the disaster brought by artificial intelligence.”
He coughed repeatedly as he spoke, pausing hundreds of times in a single sentence, which only made others more anxious.
He was really putting on a show.
Dr. Xie first expressed that, despite his illness, he remained committed to the goal of peace for all humanity and would continue to fight.
His words earned him a round of applause.
Then, Dr. Xie mentioned his plan: to restore communication between planets and unite all of humanity.
After coughing a few more times, Dr. Xie paused. Nan Yuan, standing diagonally across from him, spoke up clearly, “This mission is extremely dangerous. As the only person capable of surviving an attack by artificial intelligence, I will take on this task and fight for the future of humanity.”
Nan Yuan didn't resort to emotional appeals; he merely stated a fact calmly.
Yet everyone inexplicably believed he would deliver on his word.
On the screen, Nan Yuan's influence value surged dramatically, though it still fell short of the system's assigned task.
Tao Shushu glanced gently at Nan Yuan. Standing there, he seemed like the pillar of the world, reliable and steady.
The faces and eyes on the screen all turned eagerly toward Nan Yuan, toward hope.
Dr. Xie's expression was far from pleasant.
Tao Shushu chuckled softly as she watched the frown lines deepen on his forehead.
Fortunately, Nan Yuan was clever and knew the right moment to speak. Otherwise, the task would have been Nan Yuan's, but the gratitude would have gone to Dr. Xie.
Let Dr. Xie have a taste of being stifled.
Tao Shushu and Nan Yuan had planned it out: when Dr. Xie reached the most intense part of his speech, she would give Nan Yuan a nudge. They would count down together, Nan Yuan controlling the sound simulator while she directed the foul odor straight into Dr. Xie's nose.
Tao Shushu estimated the timing was about right, nudged Nan Yuan, and clicked "Stench," ready to deploy it.
Before the crowd could offer much praise, Dr. Xie coughed heavily, drawing everyone's attention. Unwilling to tear off the mask completely, he said, "Nan Yuan's awareness is commendable. However, I happened to learn that Nan Yuan... cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..."
The people closest to Dr. Xie, upon hearing what sounded like a fart, quickly covered their noses.
It was too foul.
Absolutely revolting.
"Doctor, did you eat something bad?" Bob asked.
Tao Shushu controlled the "stench attack," directing the pungent odor straight into Dr. Xie's nostrils.
Even Dr. Xie's most loyal assistant couldn't bear it, covering his mouth as he fled outside.
Nan Yuan opened the window. Being the farthest away, he remained completely unaffected.
As those in the front rows stepped back, Nan Yuan looked at Dr. Xie with a faint, ambiguous smile.
"Someone is attacking..." Dr. Xie, trapped at the epicenter of the stench, struggled to breathe, coughing violently and even vomiting without regard for his dignity.
Nan Yuan said with concern, "Has Dr. Xie's digestive system deteriorated this badly?"
As he spoke, his eyes conveyed genuine worry.
Coupled with his earlier righteous declaration, those who had been eager to rush out for fresh air hesitated.
At that moment, everyone was disgusted by Dr. Xie's foul odor.
Only Nan Yuan cared about Dr. Xie's health.
In terms of perspective, they had lost.
Instantly, the crowd looked at Nan Yuan with renewed respect. Those on the eastern side instinctively apologized, "It's our fault for being so incompetent. We couldn't earn Dr. Xie's trust to handle the task, and we couldn't even find coarse-fiber foods, causing Dr. Xie's health to worsen."
"We're so useless, unable to learn coding to help, leaving Dr. Xie to rush around alone every day, wearing himself down until his health is failing."
"Dr. Xie's condition is getting worse and worse; now he can barely maintain basic metabolism. I really don't know what to do."
"Dr. Xie didn't mean to do that in public... If he could control it, he definitely wouldn't have. Ah, I'm so worried about Dr. Xie's health..."
Hearing the conversation from the sidelines, Dr. Xie was so furious he nearly fainted.
He wanted to use his psychic abilities to control these chaotic people, but the foul odor kept rushing into his nostrils, irritating him so much he couldn't calm his mind and couldn't gather his powers.
The stench attack was about to fade.
Without hesitation, Tao Shushu spent another charge, precisely stuffing it right under Dr. Xie's nose.
Dr. Xie's assistants and others had been forcing themselves to endure, not even daring to cover their noses, holding their breath until their faces turned red, afraid of embarrassing Dr. Xie.
As the stench gradually dissipated, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Having already endured one round of the foul smell, their tolerance had increased quite a bit. Even though the odor hadn't completely cleared, they all took small breaths of air, trying to save their lungs from the lack of clean air.
Just then, a stench that shot straight to the heavens suddenly hit them.
"Yuck." The assistant couldn't take it and vomited on the spot. He stepped back a few paces, tears welling up in his eyes from the irritation.
A few others who were still holding on were caught off guard by the sudden assault. They exchanged glances, despair creeping into their eyes.
In the end, they stood up in unison. "I just remembered I haven't done the shift change yet."
"Dr. Xie, you should take some time to rest and recover."
"Dr. Xie, I still have a can of fruit preserves saved up. I'll bring it to you later."
Bob was deeply distressed. "Dr. Xie, I thought you only had the symptom of coughing up blood. I didn't realize your digestive system had deteriorated to this extent. It's all because I've been causing you so much worry. From now on, I'll complete my tasks properly and stop arguing with people all the time, so you don't have to overwork yourself."
"Yes, Dr. Xie has been working too hard."
"He always has to attend meetings with us."
"He handles everything personally."
"We can't let Dr. Xie exhaust himself like this anymore. We need to step up. Dr. Xie should only focus on the most urgent tasks; we'll manage the rest. We absolutely won't let Dr. Xie worry about anything extra."
Dr. Xie waved his hand, wanting them to stop talking, but as soon as he waved, everyone backed away even further.
They were afraid the stench particles would be wafted toward them by his motion.
Dr. Xie wanted to call out Bob's name, but as soon as he opened his mouth, the smell choked him and he started coughing.
Zhou Yan, having been warned by Nan Yuan, had already covered his nose with a cloth when the first wave of stench hit.
Seeing the accusatory looks from the people on the east side, Zhou Yan shrugged. "I was worried the AI might drop a virus, so I prepared masks and gas masks."
"Fortunately, I'm quite sure Dr. Xie isn't infected with the zombie virus." Zhou Yan pretended to be heartbroken. "But Dr. Xie's current condition shouldn't involve excessive thinking. Dr. Xie has more important tasks, only he can complete the framework for the communication system."
Having moved away from the dizzying stench around Dr. Xie, the others gradually regained their rationality. Dr. Xie's health was no longer suitable for him to continue serving as the strategist.
Every decision was consuming Dr. Xie's vitality.
They looked around at each other, and eventually, all eyes turned to Nan Yuan.
Only Nan Yuan is suitable.
Nan Yuan's abilities are extremely powerful.
Moreover, in the battles where humanity has been steadily retreating, Nan Yuan has managed to lead a group of people from one planet to another, enough to demonstrate his leadership and capabilities.
If there truly is someone who can replace Dr. Xie, it can only be Nan Yuan.
Someone from the eastern side cleared their throat, "On behalf of myself, I am willing to accept Nan Yuan's leadership. As Dr. Xie said during the mobilization, only by uniting can humanity have a sliver of hope for victory."
Bob nodded, "When it comes to defense, Nan Yuan is far more professional than I am."
"Of course, even before the apocalypse, it was the Second Legion that suppressed all the mercenaries," Zhou Yan said with a laugh.
"We just need to consult the boss's opinion," someone from the eastern side added.
Dr. Xie: ...
Dr. Xie sat alone in his chair, his entire body numbed by the foul stench. He couldn't even stand up to tell them to stop talking nonsense.
To play the victim, he had deliberately feigned weakness and even pretended to cough up blood. Now, he was genuinely nauseated to the point of vomiting, and the only doctor present merely tossed two pills from afar without even bothering to examine him.
In his daze, Dr. Xie felt as though it was his own flatulence that had made him so sick.
Tao Shushu had been overjoyed the moment she saw everyone agreeing that Dr. Xie shouldn't be overworked.
She continuously blew foul odors right under his nose.
Preventing Dr. Xie from retaliating.
Nan Yuan had been listening quietly all along. Only now did he speak, "I am deeply moved by the extent of Dr. Xie's sacrifices for the base. I will not allow him to exhaust his life with high-intensity labor anymore. Therefore, I will take on more responsibilities."
Zhou Yan patted Nan Yuan on the shoulder, "Nan Yuan, can you handle it? Dr. Xie is an artificial intelligence expert. He has created countless AIs and understands their behavior patterns best. Even if you are from the Second Legion, I cannot show favoritism. You are just..."
Bob pulled Zhou Yan aside, "I think Nan Yuan can..."
On the other end, Tao Shushu felt the timing was right and stopped her odor attacks.
As Dr. Xie recovered, he realized the situation had completely changed. Not only had he failed to pressure Nan Yuan through the crowd to extract information about Man Qian, but he had also solidified his image as a frail and helpless individual who should no longer be involved in the decisions regarding the Trash Planet.
Without control over the Trash Planet, how could his plans proceed?
Dr. Xie quickly signaled his assistant to wheel him to the periphery of the crowd, as far from the center and the doors and windows as possible.
The assistant staggered unsteadily, occasionally letting out soft retches.
Before the person arrived, the stench did first. The senses of ability users were relatively sharp, and several people couldn't stand it, immediately covering their noses.
Although Bob also found the smell unpleasant, he had always respected Dr. Xie the most. So, he grasped the doctor's hand and said, "Dr. Xie, we've already agreed. From now on, we'll take care of matters on the Trash Planet. You just need to focus on the Communication Restart Plan."
"No, I'm fine. I'm not that weak, I can still..."
Zhou Yan shook his head in distress. "Dr. Xie, don't push yourself too hard. You said it yourself, the Communication Restart Plan is the most important. It carries all the hopes of the C1 star system, and only you can complete this work. I believe you must want to devote yourself fully to this plan. Honestly, I don't really trust Nan Yuan that much either; after all, he's just a kid. Let the boss from the east side take over."
Zhou Yan said every word Dr. Xie had once used to guilt-trip Nan Yuan.
On this day, the same logic of emotional manipulation fell upon Dr. Xie himself.
Dr. Xie could only swallow his anger and frustration. No one believed that his physical condition was still good, and why would they? He had always pretended to be weak and sickly. But now, having been overwhelmed by the stench, he couldn't just jump up to prove he was fine.
Moreover, Zhou Yan had brought up the deceased boss from the east side. If everyone found out that the east side boss was already dead, Dr. Xie would have an even harder time dealing with Nan Yuan, and they would surely dig deeper into the matter.
Dr. Xie had no choice but to say, "I agree to let Nan Yuan take over. He's clever enough and has experience defending another planet. He's the most suitable. Besides, the processors on the east side need management, so no one else can be spared."
A task prompt popped up on the screen: [Congratulations on helping Nan Yuan gain the recognition of the Trash Planet's survivors. Reward obtained: Influence Points x20,000, Gold Coins x2,000.]
Tao Shushu happily accepted the reward. Spending just 12 gold coins to complete the task, this round was a win.
Zhou Yan still shook his head and asked, "Dr. Xie, you just mentioned that you accidentally discovered something. What is it? You must tell the truth."
At this point, what else could Dr. Xie say? He had originally intended to pressure Nan Yuan publicly into revealing Man Qian's mission location, but now everything was ruined. Dr. Xie shook his head and said, "I just discovered that Nan Yuan has perfectly inherited his parents' talents, both in combat ability and his perception of programs. He's truly outstanding."
And so, the plan for Nan Yuan to manage the Trash Planet was settled.
Everyone rushed back to their posts, after all, the smell was truly unbearable.
If they had to endure it again, they would go mad.
When only a few people remained, Dr. Xie said coldly, "Nan Yuan, come with me. There are some things I need to tell you as soon as possible."
Bob hesitated for a moment. "Doctor, perhaps you should take a shower first."
Dr. Xie's face twisted in fury.
Nan Yuan's lips curved slightly, and Shushu's cheerful laughter rang in his ears.
He didn't find the laughter annoying at all and returned to his room quite pleased.
Inside, he dismantled several surveillance devices, likely installed by Dr. Xie just moments before.
Tao Shushu crushed the super-stealthy surveillance devices. "Dr. Xie is so wicked. We really let him off easy earlier. I should have stuffed a few more stink bombs on him."
Nan Yuan chuckled softly.
Tao Shushu froze for a moment, then explained a bit awkwardly, "I chose the stench attack because it's the only one without a physical form, so it won't be detected." Tao Shushu still cared about her image; even though her chosen weapon was a bit crude, she was still a little fairy.
"Mm." Nan Yuan looked straight ahead, not hiding the smile on his face. "I'm happy because Shushu stood up for me."
His smile was too beautiful.
Tao Shushu felt her face slowly heating up. Even though she knew Nan Yuan couldn't see her, she still wanted to cover her face. Was she being too obvious about her favoritism?
"Thank you, Shushu, for always caring about me," Nan Yuan said with a laugh.
Tao Shushu felt utterly enchanted. Her finger tapped open the voice pack, wanting to hear the tone of Nan Yuan's speech, not wanting to miss a single nuance of emotion in his words.