Code Name: Zero [Infinite Flow]

The main story is nearing completion, so feel free to dive in. Weibo: @_MaotouDaxia. Suggestions for funny scenes are welcome.

[Reading Guide]

1. The main POV only indicates whose perspective the story follows. This is a BL story with two male leads; there is no single primary protagonist.

2. Top and bottom refer to sexual positions, not to any moral standards, personalities, or hierarchy.

3. No breaking up or reversing ships, no mommy/daddy fantasies. Even joking about it is not allowed. Cyberbullies who stir up trouble can enjoy a life of bad luck.

4. Comments between paragraphs are open. Come join the fun!

If you're fine with all of the above, then please come on in :-D

Tong Yao is the most dependable workaholic in the entire Federation. With a 100% mission success rate, he sits securely at the top of the Observers.

In the 52nd year of the Calamity, the entire Acanum Federation is engulfed by alternate spaces. He pushes open a door and finds a murder scene. The killer is his boyfriend, whom he hasn't seen in eight years.

Of course, he'll soon be his ex-boyfriend.

Zhu Cijing has only just emerged from the complications of an experiment. Before he can gather his thoughts, he runs into Tong Yao in an alternate space. When they meet, his knife is still stuck in an NPC.

As reunion scenes go, it's downright awful.

Question: What should you do when you're assigned a mission partner who is your freshly dumped ex?

Answer: Strike while the embers are still warm, fan the flames, and do your best to rekindle the old spark.

Their relationship has changed, but their minds haven't. No matter what, they can't hide the instinctive understanding between them.

One glance is all it takes to know what the other means. Their rhythms match perfectly, so there's no need to worry about either of them holding the other back.

They punch NPCs, kick their way through layers of puzzles, clear stages with effortless smoothness, and make rapid progress. Even three more teams couldn't catch up.

Their relationship and mission progress advance side by side, until they enter a mid-level alternate space.

Damaged culture tanks scattered across the laboratory. Experiment reports divided by year across four office sections. A name on the pages, achingly familiar.

And even high-definition footage documenting everything on-site from every angle.

As the video plays frame by frame, Zhu Cijing's heart grows colder with every passing moment.

Tong Yao stares at the horrifying images on the screen, grabs Zhu Cijing by the collar, and yanks him toward himself.

Through gritted teeth, he gives a mirthless smile. "Care to explain, Purger? You inhuman superior."

A troublemaking, sword-selling performance artist, long-haired beauty top vs. all talk and no action, a hypocrite, an aloof beauty bottom

The companion novel, "[Infinite Flow] Escape from Shangri-La," is open for pre-orders. If you're interested, feel free to visit the author's page!

Preview:

On a beautiful Saturday when he didn't have to work or go on a mission, Xiao Hechuan is dragged into a bizarre alternate space.

No, calling it an alternate space wouldn't be right.

As the leader of a special operations team, he has seen countless alternate spaces. He's absolutely certain that alternate spaces don't have player ratings, a leaderboard, two cities called East Shangri-La and West Shangri-La, or a strange man who keeps pestering him to join a team.

The strange man's name is Ryan. His defining traits are his beauty, his fragility, and a brain that works only some of the time.

The second time Ryan manages to pester Xiao Hechuan into agreeing to let him join the team, Ryan begs for help yet again, despite having been able to tear a little ghost apart with his bare hands just a moment earlier. Xiao Hechuan decides the guy must be a little crazy and starts to regret his decision.

To be honest, his motives weren't pure. He was bewitched by Ryan's refined features and exceptional looks. In short, he fell for his face.

...At least the other teammates are more or less normal, especially compared with Ryan, who suddenly turns frail at the drop of a hat. Choosing them as teammates gives Xiao Hechuan hope that he might make it back to the real world.

They stumble through two more instances like this. Then, somehow, Ryan seems to have had an awakening and suddenly stops acting fragile. He has the strength to move mountains and looks capable of smashing through the lair on the west side all by himself.

The tenth time Ryan snaps a female ghost's neck, a broadcast from somewhere unseen begins to announce:

[Player 2 has killed the black-clad female ghost. Points gained: 4.]

He turns around, leaves the poor soul with its head separated from its body, and complains to Xiao Hechuan: "My hand hurts."

Xiao Hechuan: ...

You twisted ten heads off in half an hour. If your hand doesn't hurt, whose would?

Scheming, sharp-minded beauty top vs. righteous, straightforward powerhouse bottom

"God" has sent down a revelation: the first person to reach the top of the Black Tower will take control of the next cycle of fate.

Is Shangri-La City a utopia in a dream, or a cage of beasts that devours flesh and blood?

A silly little bonus scene with some bizarre jokes.

For the people inside alternate spaces, a quick mind and great strength are scarce resources. When Tong Yao happens to help someone, they'll sincerely praise him out of gratitude and a desire to get on his good side: "Thanks, handsome."

Tong Yao: -_-

At one point, Tong Yao cracks a code and swiftly opens a door using his greatest strength. Before they go inside, Zhu Cijing suddenly gets an idea: "Thanks, handsome." (In that tone.)

Tong Yao: ???

While looking for clues, Zhu Cijing: "Thanks, handsome."

While handing over a tool, Zhu Cijing: "Thanks, handsome."

While teaming up to subdue the locals by force, Zhu Cijing: "Thanks, handsome."

Tong Yao finally loses his patience: "Are you ever going to stop?"

Zhu Cijing: "What's wrong, handsome?"

Tong Yao: "I didn't even say it back to them." (Trying to reason with him.)

Zhu Cijing: "Is that so? Well, thanks, handsome."

According to an insider who didn't want to be named, after they left the alternate space, Zhu Cijing was locked out of Tong Yao's office. Filled with regret, he called out, "Let me in!"

Theme: Respect the coexistence of all living things.