chapter 16

Chapter 16

“Don’t talk nonsense! There’s nothing between me and him!”

Xiao Nan grinned mischievously. “Really?”

“Of course!” I replied righteously. “Even though we usually don’t get along, I’ve already started thinking of him as my own brother. Who would have any thoughts about their own brother? Are you sick or something…?”

Xiao Nan didn’t say anything, just stared blankly behind me and gave me a look.

Sensing something was wrong, I turned around-and sure enough, it was Qi Mubai.

His expression was grim, not a hint of a smile.

Trying to ease the awkwardness, I walked over, tiptoed, and put my arm around his shoulder in a show of closeness. “If you keep talking nonsense, and he can’t find me a pretty sister-in-law, I’ll blame you!”

Xiao Nan laughed it off. “Alright, alright! I get it…”

I awkwardly put my hand down. Qi Mubai shot me a cold look and walked away without looking back.

I stood there, feeling a little guilty for some reason.

After that, I couldn’t tell if it was just my imagination, but it seemed like Qi Mubai and I were drifting further apart.

Part of me felt a bit sad, but another part thought, maybe this was for the best.

At least, it was good for both of us.

I thought life would just go on like this, but that afternoon, two guards came up to me and said, “The Leader wants to see you.”

I was stunned for a long moment before I remembered.

It was Cheng Cang.

He was finally going to settle the score with me.

Cheng Cang didn’t live in any ordinary Zone A or Zone B, but in Zone S, where only Base administrators could stay.

It was my first time seeing such a nice place. On the way, I was like a country bumpkin who had never entered the city, my lack of worldliness on full display, completely forgetting what I’d been worrying about just a moment before.

When I arrived and saw Cheng Cang’s familiar face, I finally remembered why I was here.

“Miss Qian, is it? Please, have a seat.”

I didn’t hear a word, completely stunned on the spot.

Honestly, this was the first time I’d ever seen such a luxurious house.

An expensive carpet underfoot, a lavish leather sofa nearby, priceless paintings everywhere showing off the owner’s taste, and a wide staircase to the side, leading up along the banister… Uh, I couldn’t see anything else from here.

“What’s wrong?” Maybe my reaction was too exaggerated, because Cheng Cang smiled. “This is my home. My home before the Zombie virus outbreak.”

He gazed into the distance, lost in memory. “Back then, I was in the army, and I watched my subordinates go mad with my own eyes. The whole unit was thrown into chaos. At first, I was optimistic, thinking we could get it under control quickly, but…”

He shook his head.

“Later, I took charge and built this Base around my home, widely recruiting Superpower Users and sheltering survivors. But there are too many people now, and it’s really getting overwhelming. In the past few days, we’ve started establishing Bases in other places, hoping to ease the burden…”

Listening to him, I couldn’t help but feel moved.

Heroes are born in troubled times, and Cheng Cang was undoubtedly that hero.

But he must have been impressive even before all this, living in such a nice house. This place used to be out of reach for ordinary people-you couldn’t get in even if you had money, you needed a powerful background. The kind of family legacy built up over generations.

“Sit down, let’s talk,” he said.

My heart tightened.

Cheng Cang leaned back on the leather sofa, blending into the black, exuding the aura of someone in power. “If I remember correctly, Miss Qian… you should be a Zombie, right?”

Here it comes.

What should I do, what should I do, what should I do?

Was he going to kick me out?

I panicked, stammering, “No… Even though I’m a Zombie, I’m just like a normal person! I’ve never bitten anyone…”

“No need to be nervous, Miss Qian,” Cheng Cang interrupted with a smile. “I’m just curious. When we first met, you couldn’t speak, and your behavior was very Zombie-like. But now, you seem no different from a normal person. Why is that?”

So I told him the whole story of how I evolved after a fever. Cheng Cang listened and pondered for a moment. “That’s a rare phenomenon…”

Seeing that he had no intention of kicking me out, I felt much more at ease. Just then, someone came in looking for him. “Boss!”

I turned to look. The guy was short and thin, like a little monkey, full of energy. He looked familiar-probably from their team before.

He spotted me and was shocked. “Little Zombie?!”

Calling people Zombies all the time, I was annoyed and snapped, “My name is Qian Duoduo!”

He was even more surprised. “You-you-how can you talk? And, why is she here?”

The last question was directed at Cheng Cang.

Cheng Cang probably explained it to him, and he finally calmed down. “Qian… Duoduo, I’m Zeng Liang. Just call me Liang Zai!”

That name… sounded familiar too.

Cheng Cang asked Liang Zai to escort me back while he went to handle other matters. Liang Zai was a chatterbox, talking about this and that the whole way, never giving my ears a moment’s peace.

But he was actually pretty funny. Even the most ordinary things sounded hilarious coming from him.

For example, he said a Zombie was probably bitten while taking a shower, and then came out naked to bite people. The girls in their team were all terrified, so he killed the Zombie and even helped put pants on him afterward.

I laughed so hard I couldn’t catch my breath, slapping his shoulder. “And then? And then?”

“And then nothing. The guy died twice already, what more do you want?”

This guy was just too funny.

I could barely straighten up from laughing. Liang Zai laughed too. “Never seen anyone with a sense of humor as low as yours…”

I was about to say something when he suddenly stopped, staring straight ahead. I followed his gaze-and was stunned.

Why was Qi Mubai here?