[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times":3,"chapter-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-588":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Fiercest Man in the End Times",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2319826,4536,"Chapter 588: Admit Your Mistakes, Stand Straight When Beaten","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-588",588,"\u003Cp>“Mr. Zhang, I’m at fault here, but I’m not insane. Both of you, please don’t rush to judgment…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei slowly shook his head and pulled a self-sealing bag from his pocket: “They ate this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All eyes turned to the bag, where a pale golden, bean-sized thick slice lay inside—its appearance certainly didn’t suggest anything toxic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wei Jun, what is this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yanshan adjusted his glasses; due to incorrect prescription, he nearly pressed his eyes against the bag, but still couldn’t identify its contents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su had already spotted the pattern, but he wasn’t certain, so he said: “Say it all at once—I’ll judge whether your excuse holds water.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This isn’t some random junk.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he spoke, Fu Wei raised his hand and handed the self-sealing bag to Zhang Su. Once the other took it, he continued: “It’s the thalamus, extracted from a liquefied gas zombie’s brain.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wh-what…?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My god!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing they’d eaten thalamus, Liu Tianji and Ke Zhiyu’s faces collapsed instantly. Liu Tianji had attended university—top-tier—and Ke Zhiyu, though slightly less accomplished, was also a second-tier graduate. Both knew what thalamus was. Eating pig brain was already disgusting; this was zombie thalamus!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instantly, their stomachs churned. They exchanged a glance, suppressing their nausea, their faces turning green.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t panic, don’t panic—it’s not what you think… Brother Zhang, can you explain to them?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Wuhu noticed Liu Tianji and Ke Zhiyu’s expressions and quickly soothed them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su nodded, signaling for Duan Wuhu to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Here’s the situation: Dr. Fu discovered long ago that zombie thalamus has extraordinary healing properties. Previously, we used zombie thalamus to treat severe injuries. We didn’t disclose it because we feared your extreme reactions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Secrets like this were best kept among as few people as possible, but now it was clearly impossible to conceal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ah? So that’s how it is…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After hearing Duan Wuhu’s explanation, Liu Tianji suddenly understood. Memories of past events flashed through his mind, and his nausea eased somewhat. His mood calmed, and he even gave Ke Zhiyu a reassuring glance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That explains it! I knew it! I always thought something was missing—now it all makes sense!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yanshan slapped his forehead after hearing Fu Wei’s words, feeling a sudden clarity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Earlier, when Fu Wei had left the lab and left him to inspect the liquefied gas zombie, he’d noticed the thalamus was gone. He assumed Fu Wei had casually discarded it, since the zombie had been dead too long—the thalamus should’ve lost its vitality and efficacy anyway—so he hadn’t cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su strained his eyes, examining the pale golden thalamus up close. Its patterns were far denser and more complex than the ordinary gray, lifeless thalamus; in both color and texture, it was clearly superior.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if thalamus has been proven to heal wounds, shouldn’t this clearly special variant be handled with extreme care? Why did you just randomly feed it to others? What did you tell Old Duan when you quit the Survivors’ Alliance? You said you couldn’t stand Liao Youzhi experimenting on living people—so now you’ve become the very monster you claimed to oppose?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su shook the self-sealing bag in his hand, pressing further. He’d tolerated Fu Wei risking his own life before, but now the man was recklessly endangering people in the camp—if not stopped, things would only get worse!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I suspected this special thalamus might have enhanced effects, so… I admit I was wrong. I accept punishment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei no longer argued. He lowered his head, admitting fault. He wasn’t a child anymore—denial was pointless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Punishment? Fine. Then hand over every last bit of this stuff!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su jiggled the self-sealing bag, certain Fu Wei had hoarded some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he said it, Fu Wei’s body tensed—his thoughts exposed instantly. Bold, yes, but lacking depth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wei Jun, you—you really hid some? Quickly, hand them over!” Duan Wuhu, alarmed, rushed forward, gripping Fu Wei’s shoulders and shaking him violently, his expression frantic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I didn’t—I, I… sigh.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei tried to keep lying, but under Zhang Su’s gaze, he crumbled. He reached into his inner pocket, pulled out a lump roughly the same size as the pale golden thalamus in the bag, his face etched with reluctance. Finally, he closed his eyes and handed it over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Any more?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su snatched the pale golden thalamus from Fu Wei’s hand without hesitation. Since the man could handle it barehanded, so could he. He squeezed it—it felt like a chewy rubbery lump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei spread his hands, utterly calm: “That’s all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su carefully sensed Fu Wei’s emotions—first tension, then regret. The tension had been fear of exposure; the regret meant he truly had no more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei had wanted to hide more, but the thalamus was simply too small. Based on previous dosages, at least this much was needed for effect—he dared not cut it smaller, lest insufficient quantity render it useless, which would be even more tragic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he could only hide one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su looked at Fu Wei’s face, clearly etched with misery, and asked: “If I’m not mistaken, this one was meant for you, wasn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei nodded. There was no point hiding it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You thought if you handed everything in and asked me for it later, I’d refuse to approve it?” Zhang Su asked, his expression odd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, I didn’t think that,” Fu Wei quickly denied, then paused. “I just… I want to stand up so badly. My desire was too strong, and it led me to make the wrong choice. But… I really, really want it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Tianji looked at Fu Wei with a somber expression. He no longer resented the man for feeding him that stuff—instead, he felt pity for the scientist trapped in his wheelchair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he dared not speak up—the atmosphere was too heavy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Duan Wuhu frowned deeply. He knew Fu Wei’s determination well—he’d never given up the hope of walking again. But doing this… if undetected, it would’ve been fine. Unfortunately, he’d been caught.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Yanshan sighed, feeling sorry for Fu Wei. Maybe he’d kept another piece? He didn’t know…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Will you do this again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su suddenly spoke, opening the self-sealing bag and placing the pale golden thalamus inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei’s eyes suddenly brightened. This question, this tone—it reminded him of childhood, when he’d done wrong and his parents would ask him this way. Once he gave the answer they wanted, his mistake was forgiven.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Realizing this, he nodded firmly: “No, Mr. Zhang. I’ll follow the rules from now on!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Then prove it with your actions. First, accept punishment. Then, undergo observation. Only after you’ve proven yourself will you get it back.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Su slipped the bag into his pocket.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Wei’s eyes dimmed as the pale golden thalamus vanished—its glow extinguished, as if taken into Zhang Su’s pocket along with it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Admit mistakes, accept punishment. Having admitted his fault, Fu Wei didn’t delay. He lifted his head, meeting Zhang Su’s gaze, waiting for his punishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’ve been working nonstop since arriving at Tianma Isle—you’re exhausted. Take a break. Ten days. Let Old Duan take you hiking, enjoy the view from high up. Don’t think about the lab at all.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Zhang Su finished, Fu Wei’s entire demeanor collapsed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He spent more time in the lab than at his quarters—waking up and heading straight there, staying late after dinner before sleeping. Strictly speaking, the lab was his home. To be suddenly removed from it was agonizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1243,"2026-06-20T15:15:16.642Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","a635b0aa93743bee75072baf7c41a6f795bea2494f530c5f467f7b39f0a0f0a2","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-589","the-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-chapter-587",694,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-fiercest-man-in-the-end-times-cover.jpg"]