Chapter 55: Zombie Apocalypse (XIII)

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Chapter 55: Zombie Apocalypse (XIII)

“Yingying, come here. Perfect timing, I have something to discuss with you.” Yue Jiuchun smiled as he pulled Yue Yingying to his side. His movements were calm and composed as he naturally assumed the stance of a protector, though deep within his eyes remained a carefully concealed trace of vigilance.

“Dad, what is it?” Yue Yingying’s heart skipped a beat. Almost instantly, she thought of her engagement with the professor. Could Zhang Yang’s dark, murderous expression really be because of that ridiculous rumor? Heaven was her witness—she was the most innocent person involved! With both her father and the professor standing above her like two untouchable figures, all she could do was obediently act like a puppet and let them arrange everything.

“From now on, don’t go see Professor Miao alone anymore. The rumors outside will naturally disappear soon. Most people these days spend their time worrying about where their next meal will come from. They don’t have the time or energy to gossip endlessly.” Although Yue Jiuchun’s words appeared to be directed at Yue Yingying, they were actually meant for Zhang Yang.

He was telling Zhang Yang that Yue Yingying would not stand between him and Miao Lichen, and therefore would not become his enemy. Of course, the greatest reason and the thing Yue Jiuchun felt most relieved about, was that no matter how talented and extraordinary Miao Lichen was, Yue Yingying had never fallen in love with him. He could see that clearly, and he believed that someone as intelligent as Zhang Yang would be able to see it as well.

“Alright.” Yue Yingying nodded in satisfaction. These past few days, she had indeed been visiting the professor frequently, but it had never been of her own choice. It was all because of the professor’s insistence. He had said that since they were engaged, they naturally needed to put on a convincing act for others, and that she should become more familiar with Miao Nianling as well. Had the professor really not noticed that his daughter looked at her like she was some kind of toy? Wasn’t he basically sending her there to babysit?

That intense, focused gaze made her feel as though she had become a frog on an experimental table, the kind that was being dissected. She never wanted to get close to anyone with the surname Miao again. A genius like Professor Miao was someone meant to be admired from afar, not someone to approach.

“Zhang Yang will take good care of Professor Miao, right?” Yue Yingying hesitated for a moment before meeting Zhang Yang’s gaze. There was one thing she needed to confirm. Her exceptionally talented professor could not be placed in any danger. The original story had already become completely unreliable, and the only thing she could do now was judge Zhang Yang’s attitude toward the professor with her own eyes.

“Of course. Miao Lichen is mine, and he can only ever be mine.” Zhang Yang made no attempt to hide his possessiveness. He glanced at Yue Yingying arrogantly, and the fleeting trace of killing intent in his eyes sent a chill through her entire body. If he wanted that person, then he wanted everything about him. Whether it was rumors or anything else, anyone whose name could be linked with Miao Lichen’s could only be him—Zhang Yang. “I will give him the life he desires most.”

“The professor probably just wants to devote himself to research.” Yue Yingying silently shifted her gaze away, pretending not to notice the complicated emotions in Zhang Yang’s eyes. Looking back at the original story now, the more she thought about it, the more it resembled a ridiculous farce. So this was the real reason the protagonist had never shown genuine feelings toward any woman? The male lead’s only interest had always been the male supporting character by his side.

“What he wants, I understand better than you do. Yue Yingying, I don’t know why you know so much about the relationship between Miao Lichen and me. But there is one thing I want you to remember: whether you are a prophet or something else, what you see will never be completely accurate. My life and Miao Lichen’s life will only ever be in our own hands. Whatever you have seen, whatever you have heard, forget it. Otherwise, I can’t guarantee that I won’t do something even I am unable to control in the future.” After saying that, Zhang Yang turned and left Yue Jiuchun’s office.

Yue Yingying was a strange person. From the very first time they met, she had acted as though she knew him extremely well. She even knew about the existence of the jade pendant space and had attempted to establish a connection with it. She showed no surprise toward the strange aspects of either Miao Lichen or Miao Nianling, as if everything was exactly how it should be. Yet Zhang Yang had never once considered trying to learn about his own past or Miao Lichen’s from Yue Yingying, because he had always believed that his future belonged in his own hands. That was the confidence unique to Zhang Yang.

As Yue Yingying listened to Zhang Yang’s fading footsteps, she could almost hear her own heartbeat accelerating. Sure enough, compared to Professor Miao and the abnormal protagonist, she was still far too inexperienced. It was entirely possible that Zhang Yang had noticed something wrong with her the moment she appeared. After all, what kind of person would blindly trust a stranger in the middle of the apocalypse, while also acting as though they were already familiar with each other? Wasn’t she practically asking to die? If Zhang Yang ever discovered that he and the professor were merely characters from a book, that he was nothing more than professor’s experimental subject…

“Yingying, what exactly did Zhang Yang mean just now?” Yue Jiuchun’s voice had lost some of its usual warmth and carried a rare seriousness. If she truly was a prophet, then even with his own strength, there was a chance he might not be able to protect his only daughter. And if he were ever forced to choose between the family and his daughter, even if he wanted to choose the latter, many people would never give him that opportunity. “Are you really a prophet?”

“How could that be possible? I only happened to know a few things about those two people. If I were a prophet, why would I have stayed in S City for so long even though I knew the apocalypse was coming? The family estate was obviously the safest place to be.” Yue Yingying shook her head fiercely. In any story, unless the prophet was the protagonist, they were either some detached figure standing above the world or a spectacularly unfortunate cannon fodder character. She absolutely did not want to become cannon fodder. Besides, she truly wasn’t a prophet. The only thing she could rely on was the derailed plot.

Yue Yingying glanced toward the direction of the laboratory. Recently, she really should avoid getting involved in matters between the professor and Zhang Yang. At the very least, she knew one thing: Professor Miao would never willingly harm an experimental subject he treasured. And Zhang Yang would never lay a hand on the professor he had fallen in love with.

Although Yue Jiuchun did not know whether Yue Yingying’s words were true or false, he still nodded. Prophecy was an elusive and intangible concept. Even in a world where supernatural abilities existed, not everyone was willing to believe in it.

On the other side, after leaving Yue Jiuchun’s office, Zhang Yang headed directly toward Miao Lichen’s laboratory. The H City research institute was located at the heart of the base, alongside the residences and facilities of several major families’ important figures. Even in this apocalypse, humanity had not overlooked the power of scientific research—especially after Miao Lichen had brought them a new hope for survival.

Miao Lichen’s laboratory was an independent facility. In the entire research institute, having a fully equipped biological laboratory all to oneself was an extremely extravagant privilege. Yet Miao Lichen’s abilities had earned him this special treatment. Naturally, his unique position had caused some researchers to resent his existence, but with Zhang Yang’s protection, no one dared bring their complaints directly before Miao Lichen.

With practiced familiarity, Zhang Yang entered the laboratory’s password and opened the door. As always, Miao Lichen was immersed in his research. He did not even turn around, completely absorbed in the pink liquid inside the test tube before him. His focused expression made it seem as though that single thing was the only thing that existed in his entire world.

Zhang Yang’s fingers slowly tightened. The test tube shattered suddenly, as if it had been crushed within his palm. Yet the pink liquid did not splash everywhere. Instead, it fell straight down, landing on the floor and leaving behind a clearly visible puddle on the pristine white surface.

A trace of coldness flashed through Miao Lichen’s usually emotionless gaze. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but to Zhang Yang, it was more than enough. Enough for him to understand his own place in Miao Lichen’s heart. Perhaps he was worth even less than a cold glass test tube. An experimental subject and something he had painstakingly created—there truly was no comparison between the two.

‘Heh…’

After seeing Zhang Yang’s face clearly, Miao Lichen removed his laboratory gloves and tossed them onto the workbench. “Didn’t you go hunting today?” For ability users, killing zombies to obtain their crystal cores was considered hunting. These crystal cores could not only be used to increase their own strength, but could also be exchanged for food and even entertainment supplies within the base. They had become the equivalent of currency from the pre-apocalypse era.

“Do you really think I would still be in the mood to hunt today? Miao Lichen, are you truly unaware, or are you pretending not to know? Someone as intelligent as you couldn’t possibly be ignorant of such ordinary matters in the outside world. I have never hidden anything from you…” Zhang Yang stepped closer to Miao Lichen. His slender fingers wrapped around Miao Lichen’s wrist, slowly tightening until the pale skin beneath his grasp became flushed red. A trace of obsession appeared in his eyes as he watched the color spread.

As expected, a frigid atmosphere filled the laboratory. The lightning energy within Zhang Yang’s body nearly came to a halt. In contrast, the ancient martial arts energy within him grew increasingly active, continuously becoming more refined. A faint smile curved on Zhang Yang’s lips. It was only an aura, nothing more. At this point, Miao Nianling could no longer interfere with his actions. Although ancient martial arts and abilities complemented each other, pressure-point techniques were undoubtedly one of the defining specialties of ancient martial arts.

His face moved closer and closer to Miao Lichen’s until their noses were almost touching, their breaths intertwining. Yet the pair of eyes before him remained as calm as ever. The only time Miao Lichen showed any other expression was when Zhang Yang damaged his experiments. That realization was not something that could bring him any joy.

“Zhang Yang, what exactly do you want me to understand? Your feelings toward me?” Miao Lichen asked, the smile on his lips unchanged. He spoke as though he were merely stating an objective fact. Yet that very reaction was enough for Zhang Yang to understand. Miao Lichen was not unaware. He simply did not care. And perhaps, he even looked down on him.

That expression again. It clearly carried a trace of warmth, yet there was not the slightest ripple of emotion beneath it. It was the same kind of mask Zhang Yang himself was accustomed to wearing—the kind he liked most, the kind that made others lower their guard the easiest. Seeing it appear on Miao Lichen’s face now felt like a mockery.

If he died, would Miao Lichen show even a trace of sorrow? Or would he simply move on and find another experimental subject? Zhang Yang’s fingers had already settled against Miao Lichen’s neck, where he could faintly feel the steady rhythm of his pulse. It was completely different from his own irregular heartbeat at this moment—calm, even, and unaffected. Unfortunately, he would never die before Miao Lichen’s life came to an end. Which meant he would never know the answer.

“None of that matters anymore. Whether you are capable of responding to my feelings or not, you can only belong to me, and you will only ever belong to me. You are too devoted to your research, and you are too much of a genius. Because of that, you never realized that I had already broken free from your control long ago.” Zhang Yang gently brushed his lips against Miao Lichen’s forehead, then lightly pressed his fingers against the place he had just kissed. His touch slowly traced downward from his forehead, until his fingers rested once again against the side of his neck.

“If you had chosen to develop your ability instead of research, perhaps I would never have been able to obtain you. That is the only reason I am grateful for your obsession with research. Do you regret your choice? Making me your experimental subject was probably your greatest mistake.”

“No.” Miao Lichen’s voice remained calm. “I have always trusted my own judgment. You are the most suitable subject for this experiment. In fact, the results have proven that my decision was correct. The outcome of the experiment is even more perfect than I expected.” Miao Lichen attempted to take a step back, wanting to bring Zhang Yang fully into his field of vision, but Zhang Yang’s arm tightened around him, preventing him from moving.

“Since you are so satisfied with my body… then I believe you won’t mind me becoming your only experimental subject, will you?” Zhang Yang whispered beside his ear. His gaze shifted toward Miao Nianling, carrying the arrogance of someone who had already claimed victory. “Miao Lichen, I will give you the best possible environment for your research. But your experimental subject will only ever be me.”

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