Chapter 53: Zombie Apocalypse (XI)

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Chapter 53: Zombie Apocalypse (XI)

After a long while, Yue Yingying finally became aware of her current situation. She had no idea when she had ended up sitting on the floor, her body half leaning against the door. A small, fair hand gripped the collar of her white shirt. When she looked up, she saw a girl with an exceptionally bright and sunny smile. Yet hidden deep within those eyes was something that, although not immediately obvious, was impossible to ignore: caution and unmistakable killing intent.

Some people simply could not be judged by ordinary standards. They could be called geniuses, or they could be called abnormal. Miao Nianling was perhaps an existence even more abnormal than Zhang Yang. After all, Zhang Yang’s abnormality had been acquired later in life, while Miao Nianling had been born that way. According to the logic contained within the memories she possessed, something innate would always hold an advantage over something acquired.

Yue Yingying’s thoughts once again drifted into a strange direction. Suddenly, she felt the atmosphere around her freeze. A cold aura spread from her neck throughout her entire body, and she even felt as though she could no longer breathe.

‘Sniff… Little cutie, don’t just attack without warning. At least give me some time to prepare!’

Miao Nianling’s fingers were indeed placed around Yue Yingying’s neck, exactly as she had imagined, but they were not tightening. Her small and delicate hand could not even fully wrap around Yue Yingying’s neck, and she was not using much strength at all. Calling it “strangling” would be an exaggeration. It would be more accurate to say that she was merely resting her hand there.

The problem was that Miao Nianling’s body, like her father’s, was naturally cold, perhaps even colder.

Yue Yingying blinked. She could clearly see the disdain in Miao Nianling’s eyes. Although she had no way to compare herself with these abnormal monsters, she was still a goddess-like existence by ordinary standards, wasn’t she? When it came to secretly eliminating someone, she could do it without leaving a trace and even make the victim feel grateful afterward without a single complaint. So why was she being looked down upon? She was already a qualified resident of the apocalypse, okay?!

“Alright, Ling’er, stop playing around.” Miao Lichen placed the test tube aside and walked toward the two of them. Every step he took was exactly the same distance apart. Even the intervals between his footsteps were almost identical, each one striking the floor with perfect consistency. The sound made Yue Yingying’s previously relaxed expression turn tense.

She looked up at Miao Lichen’s exquisite face. Even without any expression, it was enough to effortlessly draw everyone’s attention. This was the person who had silently toyed with the protagonist Zhang Yang, controlling him in the palm of his hand without him realizing it. Compared with him, all those protagonists and BOSS characters she had read about in novels were completely inferior. Someone like Professor Miao was the true winner.

“What did you see just now?” Miao Lichen’s lips curved slightly upward. His relaxed expression did not look like that of someone whose secret had just been discovered.

“The liquid you poured onto Zhang Yang’s abdomen just now was…” Yue Yingying quietly let out a breath of relief. She had always trusted the professor. After all, he was the only hope this apocalypse had. She had no choice but to believe in him. Besides, no matter what they did, geniuses who devoted themselves completely to a single field and found fulfillment in solitude were worthy of respect.

She had no intention of telling anyone what she had seen today. Even if she had not understood the professor at all, she still would not have revealed it. He was the only person capable of creating a medicine that could bring an end to the apocalypse. After learning such a truth, what kind of resistance could she possibly offer? Even if the professor wanted to use her own body as an experimental subject, she might even shout, “I’m contributing to the continuation of humanity!” before obediently lying down on the experiment table.

“Something that can accelerate his ability growth and the circulation of his ancient martial arts internal energy.” Miao Lichen’s tone was always calm, without the slightest fluctuation, yet it somehow carried an air of superiority. Or perhaps it was the feeling of someone who existed beyond the ordinary world. If a person did not even care about themselves, then it was hardly surprising that they would not care about anything else.

Of course, Miao Lichen was not someone who completely disregarded his own life. But he truly did not care about the life of the “Miao Lichen” who belonged to this world, nor did he care about this body.

“Why don’t you use it on yourself? If it can enhance Zhang Yang’s abilities, then it should be able to solve your own problem as well. Zhang Yang may become a great king, but he still can’t compare to you!” Yue Yingying stood up. Miao Nianling had already moved to Miao Lichen’s side the moment he walked over.

She… had actually said it out loud.

When had Zhang Yang stopped being the one who stood above everyone else in her heart, and when had he been replaced by the professor who always remained calmly standing to the side? A faint blush appeared on Yue Yingying’s fair cheeks, and she looked somewhat excited at that moment. Her mind was filled with scenes from the original story where the professor had appeared. Every single time, he had merely been a supporting character.

Almost everyone’s attention had always been focused on Zhang Yang. If she had not known the entire story, she would have continued chasing after that arrogant figure forever. She liked Zhang Yang. She liked his personality, and she liked his abilities even more because they contrasted so strongly with his dark character.

If he had no ability, then that so-called personality would be nothing more than a reckless way of seeking death. But what if she knew that everything he possessed had been given to him by another person? What if she knew that everything had been granted by someone she herself also admired? Then the balance in her heart would inevitably begin to shift.

Although she understood that Miao Lichen had never pursued such things, as an observer, all she saw was an overwhelming sense of unfairness… Perhaps this world had never possessed absolute fairness. She would never expect the professor to become a leader simply because of something she said. The consequences of an apocalypse leader without sufficient strength were beyond her imagination. All she wanted to point out was merely a fact: Zhang Yang’s thoughts were still too immature compared with Miao Lichen, who sought to keep everything firmly within his own grasp.

“No. Zhang Yang’s personality is actually the most suitable for becoming the leader of the new era. Arrogant, but not reckless. His way of doing things is as bold and unrestrained as his name suggests, yet he is not without humility. His personal charm is something that even I can’t help but be drawn to.”

“…” Yue Yingying did not know why, but hearing Miao Lichen say this suddenly made her think of the rumors circulating outside, the “Unspoken Stories Between Miao Lichen and Zhang Yang.” She had even heard women discussing more than once which of the two was the one “on top” and which was “bottom.” According to them, Zhang Yang absolutely did not seem like someone who would bottom if it was based on strength. But Miao Nianling was Professor Miao’s biological daughter, and someone who had a relationship with a woman before would surely not be willing to bottom for another man.

However, she knew very clearly that Ling’er was an artificial human… So was the truth that the professor was actually the bottom?

If she were not worried about her image of being a goddess that she had long since lost track of somewhere, Yue Yingying would definitely have made a facepalm gesture. In Qidian novels, all protagonists and supporting characters were absolutely straight men. What on earth was she thinking? Although… Professor Miao and Zhang Yang really did seem strangely well-matched… Had she, after her moral compass had already gone astray, silently stepped onto the irreversible path of becoming a fujoshi?

“I admire you very much, but I cannot understand you.” Yue Yingying pulled her thoughts back from their strange direction. After a long while, she finally spoke these words. Compared with her usual impulsive and chaotic behavior, this sentence was spoken with extraordinary seriousness. She did not understand him—whether it was the Professor Miao from the novel or the person standing before her now. Whether it was the professor who willingly gave up the title of savior, or the professor who smiled and spoke of the future leader, he always seemed as if this apocalypse was nothing more than a play whose ending had already been decided long ago.

But… if anything happens in the future, please feel free to give me any orders, Professor. Although I can’t compare to Zhang Yang, there are some things I can do that are much more convenient for me than they are for him~” It was precisely because she could not understand him that she respected him even more. In her heart, Professor Miao was an existence who had already ascended to a divine throne. No one could possibly compare to him. From now on, she would obediently follow the professor’s instructions. Trying to guess his thoughts should be left to people who were smarter. Someone like her, a homebody, was only suited for simple, mindless work.

∇ Capture Target Yue Yingying Favorability: 100.

∇ Side Mission: Capture the Transmigrator, Yue Yingying (Complete).

∇ Reward: 6,000 points.

∇ Capture Title: “The Untouchable Snow Lotus.” (It seems something rather extraordinary has slipped in.)

“Idiot.” Miao Nianling’s small lips moved slightly. The hand that had been tightly clasped with Miao Lichen’s loosened a little, and her stiffened body gradually relaxed. The power surging within her body settled down, and the almost instinctive state of vigilance was withdrawn.

“Hey, I know I can’t compare with you two in terms of intelligence, but that’s definitely a genetic issue. It has nothing to do with me personally.” Yue Yingying smiled and glanced toward Zhang Yang, who was lying on the bed. His chiseled features carried a cold and sharp charm. He was still as dashing and captivating as the first time she had seen him. But this time, her heart no longer skipped a beat.

Has her feelings changed? No. She could be certain that she did not have that kind of emotion toward the professor either. It could only be said that… she had finally passed beyond those silly, youthful years of girlhood and grown into a woman with mature thoughts? Straightening her waist slightly, Yue Yingying’s eyes narrowed into crescents. Her mood became unusually pleasant because of this conclusion.

“Stupid beyond saving.” Miao Nianling said it again without the slightest politeness, but the hostility and killing intent in her voice had disappeared compared to before. Although the aura around this woman was still just as unpleasant as ever, she was someone who posed no threat to her or to her papa. “You didn’t come to the laboratory just to see papa, did you? Or did you hear something unfavorable about papa from somewhere?”

This world was her papa’s experimental field, but not just anyone had the qualifications to become his experimental subject. Her papa deserved the best in everything, whether it was experiments or life. Everything would continue according to his plans. When the sun rose once again, she would be able to help him even more.

Thinking of this, a sincere smile appeared on Miao Nianling’s childish face. The deep dimples on her cheeks gave her an unusually lively charm. She looked exceptionally lovable. Along with her smile, the gloomy sky outside seemed to grow even darker. And then what came next… was the first rain of the apocalypse. For humanity, it was an even greater disaster. But for the zombies, it was a naturally occurring “organic fertilizer.”

“No… no, that’s not it. I really did come to see Professor Miao because I have something very important to discuss.” Yue Yingying suddenly remembered the purpose of her visit, and an awkward expression appeared on her face. Her beautiful features twisted into an almost comical look, as if she had no idea how she should explain it.

“If you have something to say, just tell me directly.” Miao Lichen met Yue Yingying’s eyes. It seemed as though he had already guessed something. The corners of his lips tightened slightly before quickly relaxing again.

“My dad seems to have misunderstood something. He thinks I have improper intentions toward you. So he plans to package me up and send me directly to you.” After saying this, Yue Yingying instinctively glanced toward Miao Nianling. As expected, she saw obvious disdain in those clear, cute eyes. Mhm~ That was completely normal.

“What do you want me to do? Refuse? I actually think it would be quite good to just go along with it and accept you as this ‘wife’ of mine.” Recently, quite a few people had secretly sent beautiful women to Miao Lichen. For someone who devoted himself entirely to science, this really was becoming quite a troublesome matter.

“…” If she really married Professor Miao, then she would become Ling’er’s mother… She suddenly felt like her entire life had lost all meaning.

Ｏ（╯□╰）ｏ

Why was that the very first thing that came to her mind? She absolutely did not want to marry Professor Miao!

‘Professor, please continue your relationship with the protagonist instead!’

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