Chapter 48: Zombie Apocalypse (VI)

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Chapter 48: Zombie Apocalypse (VI)

They walked downstairs together. Zhang Yang watched the slender figure ahead of him, an unreadable glint flashing across his eyes. He never exposed his back to someone because he trusted them. Rather, he trusted his own ability to eliminate anyone before they had the chance to make a move. Was Miao Lichen the same? Or did Miao Lichen… trust him like he did?

Zhang Yang couldn’t find the answer. Nevertheless, the corners of his lips curved upward ever so slightly, and his mood was noticeably lighter.

∇ Capture Target Zhang Yang Favorability: 50.

As soon as Miao Lichen and Zhang Yang reached the bottom of the stairs, they felt every pair of eyes in the room turn toward them. Perhaps the Zhang family still didn’t trust them, or perhaps it was for some other reason, but everyone had remained gathered in the living room instead of dispersing. With their sharp eyesight, however, the two immediately noticed that Yuan Shuang, who had been spoiling for a fight just moments ago, now looked visibly uncomfortable. She even avoided meeting their eyes.

“Cousin,” Zhang Qiang began, “we discussed it, and we’d still like you to stay. It’s much more dangerous outside than it is here, and there’s strength in numbers. Yingying is an ability user, and her ability is the rare healing type. Even if someone is bitten by a zombie, she can heal them before they’re infected by the zombie virus.” Her voice brimmed with pride, as though she were the one who possessed the ability. After all, in the apocalypse, an ability that could prevent zombie infection was nothing short of miraculous.

“So…” Zhang Yang repeated slowly, his voice pausing deliberately. “She can prevent the zombie infection?”

For some reason, the brief pause made everyone tense. Yue Yingying gathered her courage and met his gaze. His clear black eyes were so deep that few people could hold eye contact with them for long. But as someone determined to win over the protagonist, she wasn’t about to retreat over something so trivial. She held her ground.

A meaningful smile appeared in Zhang Yang’s eyes. His fingers casually brushed the hilt of his machete as he recalled the faint smell of blood on the jade pendant. The smile on his face widened. Among everyone in the room, the only person worth suspecting was this woman who seemed to know him. If his guess was correct, then things had just become much more interesting. How had she learned about him? He didn’t believe he was important enough to catch a prophet’s attention. Or was it because of Zhang Qiang?

“An interesting ability.” A flash of unmistakable interest passed through Miao Lichen’s eyes as he slowly looked Yue Yingying up and down. It wasn’t the gaze one directed at a person. It was the detached scrutiny of someone examining an experimental specimen. There was an unmistakable hint of aggression in his eyes, along with a burning intensity that seemed completely at odds with his normally composed demeanor. A moment later, however, his usual half-smile returned. Only this time, it appeared much gentler.

“!!!!!!” If this were an anime, Yue Yingying was certain every single hair on her body would be standing on end. Even the gentle smile she had painstakingly maintained had stiffened. ‘Professor… could you please stop smiling so meaningfully? It’s only a healing ability! It’s nowhere near enough to help you save the world!’

Telling the professor about her healing powers before he’d thoroughly researched the zombie virus suddenly seemed like an incredibly dangerous idea. She wouldn’t become a lab rat would she?

‘(┬＿┬) Please don’t… Can’t I at least finish conquering the protagonist first?’

She silently imagined placing a cross over herself before suddenly remembering the professor’s personality. Her panic eased almost immediately.

In the novel, Professor Miao never conducted human experiments. At most, he’d draw a little blood. Even the protagonist had willingly donated blood before. The professor probably wouldn’t even want hers. She’d been unbelievably stupid thinking that he’d dissect her alive. The fear in Yue Yingying’s eyes instantly transformed into sparkling admiration. She looked at Miao Lichen with such open worship that it was impossible to ignore.

For some inexplicable reason, Zhang Yang felt a flicker of irritation. He stepped directly in front of Miao Lichen, blocking his line of sight. He justified the action as not wanting Miao Lichen to scrutinize one of his future subordinates. After all, Yue Yingying was still useful. Even Zhang Yang couldn’t guarantee he’d never be bitten by a zombie. Although this was the first time he’d seen Miao Lichen display such obvious emotional interest, he had no intention of backing down.

“Then you’re coming with us.” Zhang Yang said firmly, leaving no room for refusal. He didn’t doubt Yue Yingying’s ability in the slightest. He knew his uncle and aunt far too well. There was no way they would have kindly taken in their daughter’s classmate unless she possessed some extraordinary value. If she were an ability user, however, that would explain everything.

“But…” Inside, Yue Yingying was practically jumping for joy. Once she successfully latched onto the protagonist, everything else would become so much easier. Suppressing the grin threatening to spread across her face, she reminded herself to stay in character. She was the selfless saint. She had to remain devoted to everyone and unwilling to abandon anyone. Even if she desperately wanted to follow the protagonist, she had to be forced into it. ‘Come, take me away!’

“If you’re unwilling, then forget it.” Zhang Yang said mildly.

The tiny version of Yue Yingying celebrating inside her head froze solid. ‘Protagonist! You grabbed the wrong script! I’m completely willing to cling to your thigh! Please don’t go off-script!!’

“However…” His smile remained unchanged. “If you can’t be of use to me, then there’s no reason to let you live. So… you can die.”

“…” The protagonist really was a complete psychopath, but why was he becoming more and more handsome? What should she do? Yue Yingying felt her protagonist obsession had already reached MAX level and it was still climbing. Once upon a time, she had been a perfectly normal girl with perfectly normal values. The apocalypse must have ruined her.

“We will protect you. I am also very interested in your ability.” Miao Lichen smiled faintly, the slight curve of his lips making his already striking features seem even more dazzling.

“O-okay.” Yue Yingying could hear her own heart pounding in her chest. She really had been forced. It definitely wasn’t because she’d been charmed by his good looks! The usually aloof professor had actually smiled. And he’d smiled at her. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to travel back to her own world and leave a thousand-word comment beneath the author’s novel, passionately describing the professor’s breathtaking beauty and making every die-hard Professor fan green with envy.

“Yingying, you can’t leave with them! If you go, what are we supposed to do? Can you really bear to abandon us?” Zhang Qiang’s expression darkened and her voice carried unconcealed displeasure, tinged with unmistakable jealousy. She was supposed to be the center of attention, so why had Yue Yingying so effortlessly drawn Miao Lichen’s interest? Why had he smiled so gently because of her?

“That’s right, Yingying. If you leave… we won’t be able to get any food. Please… stay.” One of the men nearby spoke up in a low voice. He was clearly the strongest among them. His broad shoulders and muscular physique made that obvious. Yet at this moment, he cast aside his pride as a man to plead with a young woman. Without Yue Yingying’s healing ability, gathering food in this increasingly dangerous apocalypse would become far more difficult.

“Zhang Yang. You all will stay here.” At last, Zhang Yingming, the head of the household, spoke. His tone was so commanding that it sounded as though Zhang Yang had no choice but to obey. The apocalypse had already begun over ten days ago, yet it seemed they still hadn’t grasped what that truly meant.

“No need. I’ve already imposed on Uncle and Aunt by returning to collect my belongings. If I continue troubling you, even I won’t be able to forgive myself.” Zhang Yang smiled, looking every bit like the friendly boy next door. He paused before continuing pleasantly, “As your nephew, I should have brought you a gift. But it’s not too late. The food in my car can serve as that gift. If we have a chance to meet again, I wouldn’t mind joining forces.”

Yue Yingying opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, a sharp ache spread across the back of her neck. Her vision blurred and the next thing she knew, her body had gone limp as she collapsed against Zhang Yang. The final thought that crossed her mind before darkness claimed her was— ‘The protagonist definitely isn’t such a kind person!’

The instant Yue Yingying slumped against him, Zhang Yang frowned. A flash of undisguised disgust crossed his face. Unfortunately, someone had to carry her. If it wasn’t him, it would have been Miao Lichen. For the first time, Zhang Yang began to suspect that bringing this woman along might be a problem, and a big one.

He retrieved the food from the car and placed it neatly on the living room table before the four of them left the luxurious villa behind. Did Zhang Yang truly intend to leave food for the people who had wronged him? If Zhang Yang could honestly be described as kindhearted, then reversing time would probably be possible as well.

The only reason he’d left those supplies behind was to buy enough time for the rat on the second floor. He had deliberately left the zombie crystal cores there. They were more than enough to allow the rat to evolve. But evolution required time; no creature could become powerful overnight. Zhang Yang knew his uncle and aunt all too well. Terrified of death yet obsessed with keeping up appearances, they would never abandon the villa as long as food remained. That meant they would stay exactly where he wanted them.

Before getting into the driver’s seat, Zhang Yang glanced once more toward the villa’s second floor. For a fleeting instant, he thought he saw a pair of red eyes staring back at him through the window. He rested his hands on the steering wheel. Then the vehicle slowly pulled away.

Yue Yingying hadn’t been wearing a seatbelt. The constant jolting of the moving vehicle gradually brought her back to consciousness. The moment she opened her eyes, she instinctively slipped back into character. Her posture became gentle and refined. A trace of reluctant compassion flickered across her face. Her acting was convincing enough to rival that of an award-winning actress.

In fact, Yue Yingying had been an actress in her original world. Unfortunately, her appearance was too ordinary. As an orphan with neither wealth nor connections, she had struggled just to make ends meet before arriving in this world. No matter how talented she was, she had only ever been offered insignificant supporting roles.

She discreetly stole a glance at the protagonist. As always, Zhang Yang wore his signature flawless smile. It was so perfect that it might as well have been painted on, revealing absolutely nothing of what he was truly thinking. He was simply far too difficult to read. Compared to someone as calculating as the protagonist, an ordinary person like her was hopelessly outmatched. But as long as the plot hadn’t gone completely off the rails, she believed she still had a chance to win him over.

Looking into the rearview mirror, Yue Yingying saw Miao Lichen and the little girl leaning quietly against one another in the back seat. She shamelessly took the opportunity to admire the professor’s handsome face. Whenever she stared at the protagonist, she’d inevitably earn an icy stare in return. But not from the professor. Even the little girl could be admired. Given a few more years, she would grow into a fair-skinned beauty herself. Provided, of course, that she didn’t end up becoming Yue Yingying’s romantic rival.

Speaking of which, why was it so cold in the car? Surely no one would be extravagant enough to turn on the air conditioning in the middle of the apocalypse?

At that moment, Zhang Yang glanced at Yue Yingying and his hands suddenly tightened around the steering wheel. The car lurched violently as it slammed into something.

Yue Yingying’s eyes widened in horror. An unfamiliar, pitch-black figure stood directly in front of the vehicle. ‘Damn! How could I forget such an important plot point? Wait a minute… Has the plot skipped ahead? Why is nobody following the script anymore?! No… This doesn’t look like the one from the novel…’

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