They traveled through time at the same time, but the villainous scientist

Chapter 154 Cohabitation and Undercurrents

This kid's AT stance is really strong...

Zhang Qi gazed into the boy's eyes, which had regained a glimmer of light, only to be quickly shrouded in the clouds of self-doubt, and couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart.

"Alright, after talking for so long, you must be hungry by now, right?"

Zhang Qi suddenly changed the subject, and a relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"If you can still move, come out for a walk with this old man."

He reached out and naturally took Shinji Ikari's arm.

Shinji Ikari instinctively wanted to pull back, but Zhang Qi's actions left no room for refusal.

He was led to change out of his monotonous hospital gown and into a clean set of casual clothes.

We drove downhill and finally stopped at a huge underground parking lot.

In a corner of the parking lot, Shinji Ikari saw a motorcycle that made his breath catch in his throat.

It was a motorcycle that was completely black, with a streamlined body that exuded a sense of power and futurism, every inch of which seemed to be born to tear through the air.

Zhang Qi casually hopped onto the motorcycle, then took a black helmet from the trunk and handed it to Shinji Ikari, who was still standing there in a daze.

"Put it on."

Shinji Ikari hesitated before accepting the helmet. His life trajectory always seemed to be arranged by others, from boarding the EVA to now putting on this helmet.

My field of vision narrowed instantly, and some of the sounds from the outside world were also blocked out, leaving only my own slightly rapid breathing.

He's gotten used to following other people's instructions...

"Alright, hold on tight!"

Seeing him sit down, Zhang Qi smiled.

The next second, he twisted the throttle sharply.

"boom--!"

The dormant engine suddenly roared to life, and the entire underground parking lot seemed to tremble at the sound.

Before Shinji Ikari could react, the motorcycle shot forward like a black arrow!
"Ahhhh——!"

A powerful push slammed him into his seat, and the wind rushed in through the gaps in his helmet.

Shinji Ikari instinctively let out a short, mournful cry, gripping Zhang Qi's clothes tightly with both hands.

Hearing the screams behind him, Zhang Qi not only didn't slow down, but instead burst into hearty laughter, which is why he loves motorcycles.

The motorcycle burst out of the underground and drove into the streets of Tokyo-3, eventually stopping beside a bustling commercial street.

Despite the attack by the apostles yesterday, the streets were still bustling with people and full of life.

Zhang Qi found a ramen shop that looked popular and ordered food for the two of them.

The steaming hot ramen was served quickly.

While enjoying his meal, Zhang Qi took a few things out of his pocket and pushed them in front of Shinji Ikari. A brand new student ID card, with his photo and name printed on it, along with some identification information that he couldn't quite understand.

"Starting tomorrow, you will be going to school."

"Also, your accommodation has been arranged. You can stay with me for the time being."

Zhang Qi explained.

"Eh?"

Shinji Ikari was picking up a mouthful of noodles when he heard this, his movements suddenly froze, and he looked up in surprise.

"What? That expression... So, for a teenager like you, it seems you'd rather live with a beautiful older sister like Misato than with an old man like me?"

Seeing his surprised expression, Zhang Qi deliberately made a joke.

He obviously applied for this himself. Shinji Ikari was the pilot of EVA Unit-01, a key figure, and placing him under his direct supervision would facilitate his subsequent actions.

"Not at all!"

Shinji Ikari's cheeks flushed instantly, and he stood up almost instinctively, shouting his rebuttal.

"Haha! Just kidding, relax, sit down and eat your noodles."

Zhang Qi smiled and waved his hand.

After Shinji Ikari sat down again, Zhang Qi took out a beautifully packaged small box from his backpack and placed it on the table.

"This is a gift for you to celebrate your victory over the first apostle."

“A gift…” Shinji Ikari was stunned.

This word felt as distant to him as a relic from the last century.

Since his mother passed away and he was sent to live with relatives by his father, he has never received a birthday cake or any gifts.

He had long been used to being forgotten, used to silently watching others' excitement from the sidelines.

He reached out his slightly trembling hand and opened the box.

Inside the box, a CD lay quietly.

It wasn't anything expensive, just an ordinary music album with his favorite band on the cover.

"I've noticed you always carry your Walkman with you; you should like it, right?"

Zhang Qi asked when he saw this.

Hearing this, Shinji Ikari felt a sudden pang of sadness.

"Thank you……"

He lowered his head, his voice trembling slightly.

"As long as you like it."

"Alright, after we finish eating, let's go to our last stop."

……

Night falls
Zhang Qi started the motorcycle again, carrying Shinji Ikari all the way to the highest point in the city.

Finally, we arrived at a viewing platform at the top of the mountain, from which we could overlook the entire Third New Tokyo City.

Countless lights converged into a dazzling galaxy, spreading out across the dark earth, quiet and peaceful.

This is completely different from when the apostles attacked last night...

"Look, this is the city you protected yesterday."

"The final fortress built with all of humanity's wisdom and effort to fight against the Angels—the Third New Tokyo City."

Zhang Qi's voice was exceptionally clear in the night wind. As soon as he finished speaking, a deep, rumbling sound, like the heartbeat of a giant beast, suddenly echoed throughout the city.

The next moment, something happened that left Shinji Ikari speechless.

Below, some city blocks began to slowly sink, and in their place, huge buildings gleaming with metallic luster rose from the depths of the ground, like bamboo shoots after a rain.

The city's terrain underwent a dramatic transformation in just a few minutes, turning from an ordinary metropolis into a steel fortress filled with weapons and defensive works.

"Fighting the Apostles is not a one-person job; let's fight together from now on..."

……

It was quite late when they returned to Zhang Qi's residence.

Shinji Ikari had assumed that a scientist like Zhang Qi, who held a high position at NERV and was known for his efficiency, would have a home as spotless as his laboratory.

However, when the door was opened, the scene inside the apartment made his lips twitch involuntarily.

The living room wasn't large, but there was almost no room to step.

Books and thick research materials were piled up everywhere—on the floor, the sofa, the table—and scattered drawings were filled with complex diagrams and formulas that Shinji Ikari couldn't understand at all.

He even glimpsed a report printed with the words "LCL Electrolyte Concentration Change Simulation" being carelessly pressed under a bowl of instant noodles.

"Sorry, I've been too busy lately and haven't had time to pack yet."

Zhang Qi scratched his head and smiled somewhat embarrassedly.

"It's already late. The bathroom is over there. Go take a shower first and get some rest."

After taking a shower, Shinji Ikari lay on the soft bed in his bedroom, feeling that more had happened in the past day than in the past ten years.

Exhaustion washed over him like a tide, and he fell into a deep sleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Meanwhile, Zhang Qi returned to his bedroom and casually turned on his computer.

He took a shower, dried his hair, and sat down in front of the screen, only to find an encrypted email he had just received in his inbox.

He opened the email, which contained only a short line of text.

"I'll be back soon, and I'll bring you some interesting local specialties."

by Bless Good Governance”

(End of this chapter)