Chapter 51: Zombie Apocalypse (IX)

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Chapter 51: Zombie Apocalypse (IX)

It was impossible for their journey from S City to H City to go completely smoothly. Along the way, the group had occasionally joined forces with other survivors, but Miao Nianling, being just a child, was often looked down upon. Not only that, the refined appearances of Miao Lichen and Yue Yingying also caused them no small amount of trouble. In the apocalypse, those who could be considered “beautiful” were not limited to women. Men could sometimes bring even more trouble.

Especially in a world where even an unborn child could potentially become a zombie and crawl out of its mother’s womb, men were sometimes the safer ones to have around. Miao Lichen appeared fragile and harmless on the surface, and combined with his almost excessively delicate features, it was no wonder that he attracted unwanted attention.

The smiles on their faces became fewer and fewer. Even the usually lively Yue Yingying rarely spoke anymore and simply followed quietly beside the others. Along the way, she had used her ability to secretly deal with quite a few people. Some had brought their downfall upon themselves, some she had dealt with at Zhang Yang’s instructions, and some were simply people Yue Yingying disliked. In the apocalypse, one either died or changed. And clearly, Yue Yingying’s thoughts were no longer as simple as they had been at the beginning.

However… some things had never changed. She still had her desire to protect those two people. Perhaps there was also still her goal of conquering Zhang Yang. But her approach was no longer the shallow seduction she had imagined at the beginning. Instead, she wanted to warm him through her actions. In this apocalypse, the most precious thing was the companions by one’s side. Even if it never became love, as long as she could make Zhang Yang see her in a different light, she would consider that a victory.

In Zhang Yang’s heart, women had always been associated with tools. She wanted to become an exception. Her feelings toward Zhang Yang were complicated. After the initial impulse faded, what remained was a rational desire to get closer to him. Perhaps it was because they had both experienced similar hardships, and it had started as nothing more than sympathy. Thinking too much about it would only ruin things. She simply wanted to get closer to him. That was all.

Although Yue Yingying’s goal was admirable and her actions were sincere, Zhang Yang’s attitude toward her did not change in the slightest. If anything, his mood became increasingly dark. His smile remained as bright as ever, but only when he faced Miao Lichen and Miao Nianling did it contain even a trace of genuine emotion. At all other times, that smile was nothing more than a curve at the corner of his lips.

Upon entering H City, they immediately noticed that this place was completely different from the outside world. Although it was still the apocalypse, the people here possessed something that those outside did not—hope. Something that could be considered an extravagant luxury in the apocalypse.

Miao Lichen leaned back against the sofa and casually adjusted the red clothing wrapped around his body. Being able to live in such a luxurious room immediately after entering the city was naturally thanks to Yue Yingying’s efforts. Upon entering H City, everyone had to undergo a physical examination, and even someone like Yue Yingying, the eldest daughter of the Yue Family, was no exception.

After the examination, he discarded the cumbersome cotton coat. The red outfit he wore carried a hint of classical elegance, yet it was blended with modern elements. It could be called Tang-style clothing, but it was not a traditional Tang outfit. The refinement and elegance of modern craftsmanship had been combined with the grandeur of ancient garments. The vivid crimson color made his lips appear even more striking. With just one glance, it was enough to capture Zhang Yang’s attention.

Until now, the Miao Lichen Zhang Yang knew had always worn a white research coat. He had barely ever seen him in normal clothes. When Miao Lichen wore the thick cotton coat, he inevitably appeared somewhat bulky, though it also gave him a strangely adorable air. Zhang Yang had thought that was already the most unexpected side of him. He had never imagined that Miao Lichen’s true appearance in casual clothing would be like this.

To Zhang Yang, having a preference for ancient-style clothing was not difficult to understand. Most geniuses had some unusual preferences. Take himself, for example. As a genius, his favorite thing in the past had been dissection. The sight of blood slipping through his hands would make him feel an unusual excitement. That was also why he adapted to the apocalypse so quickly. Because compared to the original world, the apocalypse was far more suited to him. Compared with his own little “preference,” Miao Lichen’s preference was practically elegant.

The reason he had chosen biology as his major was because of this. By a strange twist of fate, he discovered his own reaction to blood, and in a moment of confusion, he chose biology—a subject actually had no interest in. Although med school would have provided more opportunities to dissect corpses, the Zhang Yang who was still “innocent” back then could never have accepted dissecting human bodies like some kind of madman. So instead, he could only turn his hands toward animals. For all these years, aside from himself, no one had ever known about this particular preference of his.

“What’s wrong?” Miao Lichen looked at Zhang Yang with some confusion. Ever since entering H City, Zhang Yang seemed somewhat distracted. If it were someone else, his behavior could perhaps be explained by uncertainty about the future. But Zhang Yang was someone who could never be judged by ordinary standards.

“I was just thinking about how to take control of this base. Continuing to live under someone else’s roof isn’t convenient. Besides, you need me to have greater authority, don’t you?” Zhang Yang reached out and gently touched Miao Lichen’s hair, which had finally turned completely white. After his injury, Miao Lichen’s body had clearly undergone changes. Zhang Yang had originally thought his hair would become a blue like the ocean, but in the end, it transformed into a white as pure as the bright moon. It did not carry the lifeless feeling of death, but it still gave him an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

No matter how beautiful this version of Miao Lichen was, if it came at the cost of his body, Zhang Yang would never want it. In order to understand the changes happening within him, Zhang Yang had to become the strongest. Only the strongest could uncover everything they wanted to know. Although Miao Lichen himself seemed completely unconcerned about these changes.

“…Let’s understand the situation first.” Miao Lichen had gained a new understanding of the protagonist’s arrogance. However, from the protagonist’s perspective, this was merely confidence in his own abilities. A Level 5 ability user could already be considered the pinnacle of strength at the current stage. Not to mention that Zhang Yang’s ability was lightning-type—the type with the greatest destructive power.

“Yue Yingying will bring back the information about the base soon. I believe she won’t disappoint me.” Zhang Yang’s brows furrowed slightly, clearly showing his dislike for Yue Yingying. Yet he could still use her help without the slightest hesitation to achieve his own goals. It was simply a case of one person being willing to offer and the other being willing to accept. From the perspective of outsiders, it was difficult to say who was right or wrong.

Just as he finished speaking, Yue Yingying pushed open the door and walked in. She was still wearing a white dress, but compared with the clothes she had casually picked up from the shopping plaza before, this outfit was clearly far more refined and elegant. A natural blush unique to a young girl colored her cheeks, and several pieces of jewelry that had not been there before adorned her body. She now radiated a brilliance that was completely different from their time in the wild. Clearly, the privileges of the rich could never be avoided in any era.

“Zhang Yang, this is the base information I worked so hard to obtain. It includes the resources and territories controlled by each base. You don’t need to worry about the Yue Family. My dad has already agreed that as long as you can deal with the other two families, he will support you unconditionally.” As she spoke, Yue Yingying did not forget to observe Zhang Yang’s expression. The moment she noticed even the slightest change in his mood, she would carefully reflect on her actions and try to provide him with an answer that satisfied him. This was a habit she had developed recently.

As for Yue Jiuchun, the current head of the Yue Family and her father in this body, he would never have willingly given up the power he had obtained so easily. However, the appearance of a Level 5 ability user was enough to make him let go. At present, the strongest known ability users in the base were only at the Level 3. This was still far from the time when powerful ability users would appear in large numbers. Apart from the earliest awakened users, most of whom had reached the Level 2, newly awakened ability users still made up the majority.

Everyone in this apocalypse understood what a Level 5 ability user represented. It represented greater power, more resources, and more food. A wise bird chooses the right tree to perch on. Yue Jiuchun had managed to reach his current position, so he was naturally an intelligent man. And intelligent people did not make foolish decisions. Moreover, he had deliberately chosen to offer the Yue Family’s allegiance only after Zhang Yang had taken control of the other two families. If Zhang Yang failed to defeat them, or only managed to obtain one of them, Yue Jiuchun would still have room to maneuver…

“I’ve already asked my dad to arrange a position for the professor. They were all very excited to hear that you were originally a biology professor at University S. They hope you can participate in the experiments as soon as possible. But I don’t know if the experiments are on human evolution or agriculture…” As Yue Yingying spoke, her cheeks became increasingly flushed. She knew that whether it was the virus crisis or the food shortage, it was ultimately the professor who would solve them. Her professor—the genius whose intelligence no one in this world could compare with—was the greatest cheat the heavens had given the protagonist!

“Sure enough, I am not strong enough. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be a matter of others deciding what A’chen should do. It would be A’chen deciding what he wants to do.” Zhang Yang leaned beside Miao Lichen, watching as Miao Lichen gently stroked Miao Nianling’s hair, seemingly lost in thought. He gave a soft scoff. Clearly, he was not very satisfied with the answer Yue Yingying had brought back.

Zhang Yang suddenly stood up without paying any attention to the reactions of the other two. He pushed open the door of a nearby bedroom, walked inside, and casually closed it behind him. The door closed behind him with a loud bang.

“Uh… what happened to Zhang Yang?” Yue Yingying was genuinely confused. The bewilderment in Zhang Yang’s eyes had been far too obvious. Logically speaking, she should not have been able to figure out the thoughts of the protagonist. Zhang Yang’s usual demeanor could be summarized as: profound and handsome, or even more profound and even more handsome. He had always seemed like someone who believed, “The heavens and earth are great, but I am the greatest,” calmly keeping everything under his control. Yet now, that Zhang Yang had actually shown confusion.

OTZ…

What exactly had happened during the short time she was away?

“He’ll be fine. Children are allowed to be a little willful. After all, Zhang Yang is still just a recent college graduate.”

Yue Yingying’s smile froze for a moment. What had she just heard? She had heard the professor call Zhang Yang a child! A child? A child! She must have heard wrong, right? The protagonist couldn’t possibly be a child. But when the professor called him that, it wasn’t completely wrong. In the original story, there had been several times when the professor had spoken to Zhang Yang from the position of an elder, and he had used the same word—child. But… Why did hearing it firsthand feel like she had just been struck by lightning? Was it because the professor looked far too young?!

“Professor, my dad said that I should take you to the research institute to have a look. He has already spoken with the professors there. Work hard on your research, become the savior of this world, and leave behind a glorious chapter in history!” Yue Yingying decided to temporarily put aside her confusion about the word “child” and announced it to Miao Lichen with a bright smile. Compared to when Zhang Yang was present, she was clearly much more lively.

“As expected… you’re both still just children.” Miao Lichen reached out and lightly tapped Yue Yingying’s forehead with a faint smile.

A flash of red light passed through Miao Nianling’s eyes. She then tugged lightly on Yue Yingying’s clothes. Still lost in the shock of having such close contact with the professor, Yue Yingying had not yet recovered her senses. She instinctively crouched down. The next moment, her forehead was struck hard. The force behind it was absolutely merciless—nothing like the strength one would expect from a child. A bump quickly rose on her forehead, and a sharp pain began to spread.

Yue Yingying waved her fist, but she still didn’t have the courage to actually hit the little girl. So instead, she could only secretly stab an imaginary little figure in her mind while helplessly looking out at the sky through the window. The apocalypse really was terrifying. Even little girls were creatures that could not be offended…

She touched the bump on her forehead. A glow from her ability appeared, and the injury quickly healed without leaving a trace.

∇ Capture Target Yue Yingying Favorability: 70.

While Yue Yingying was using her ability, Miao Nianling glanced at her once more. Only after a long while did she finally look away. With a proud little air, she hugged her father and pulled him back onto the sofa, curling up comfortably in his arms.

Zhang Yang’s fingers pressed against the crack of the door. It seemed that after he disappeared, the others were able to interact more naturally. But he had never been someone who gave up on what he wanted. Miao Lichen was the only companion Zhang Yang had ever acknowledged.

Naturally, he should stand by his side.

∇ Capture Target Zhang Yang Favorability: 80. Keep up the good work.

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