CH 198

Villainous Zombie King (17)

Due to Ye Shuiyu’s full cooperation, the journey that day turned out to be faster than Song Xu Yi had anticipated.

However, the system feedback revealed that Ye Shuiyu, with her eyes glowing red in the night, once again gathered a horde of zombies, clearly intending to follow the original plot and lead the zombies to attack humans.

The day’s travel itinerary was not particularly tight, so Song Xu Yi woke up later than usual. When she emerged from the bathroom, she noticed Ye Shuiyu sitting in the room. Upon seeing the makeup bag in Ye Shuiyu’s hands and hearing her pitiful “Xu Yi,” Song Xu Yi’s heart softened, and she reluctantly agreed to let Ye Shuiyu help her with her makeup.

Only after agreeing did Song Xu Yi realize that this was a major challenge for her.

Ye Shuiyu, naturally beautiful, resembled a teenager in her fifteenth year, obsessed with beauty. Once again, she began applying makeup. The makeup enhanced Ye Shuiyu’s facial features with a touch of aggression. As she leaned closer to Song Xu Yi, her long, thick eyelashes fluttered, and her cherry-red lips, adorned with a mole at the corner, appeared innocent yet seductive. Under the gaze of such a face, Song Xu Yi felt completely out of place and couldn’t bring herself to look at Ye Shuiyu, lowering her eyes in hesitation.

Song Xu Yi lowered her head, unable to see Ye Shuiyu’s expression. Meanwhile, the system in Song Xu Yi’s mind felt a tickling sensation and didn’t want to puncture that delicate layer of paper. In a strange tone, the system spoke up in Song Xu Yi’s mind:

“This little villain probably still wants you as her mother. That’s why she can’t bear to part with you and wants to take a mother-daughter photo before saying goodbye. But the more attached she becomes to you, the crueler she might be when she recalls everything in the future…”

After experiencing numerous worlds, the system had evidently made progress. Although Ye Shuiyu’s gaze seemed to be hooked onto Song Xu Yi, restraining her emotions, the system understood it well. However, it deliberately spoke nonsense: Originally, the system planned to turn a blind eye and let Song Xu Yi and the villain sort things out. After all, after experiencing so many worlds, the system had become numb. But at this moment, the Lord God awakened its subconsciousness, causing unnecessary trouble. The system feared that if Song Xu Yi violated the rules, she would be punished by the Lord God. So, it resorted to its usual tactic of sowing discord.

These words indeed had an effect on Song Xu Yi, especially when the system smoothly started reciting the 《Heart Sutra》 after uttering them. The chaotic thoughts in Song Xu Yi’s mind instantly vanished, and with the melody of the 《Heart Sutra》, a sense of compassion welled up within her. She thought about the impending separation from Ye Shuiyu and Zhao Miaomiao and felt an immense affection…

“Shuiyu, let’s go for an outing in the morning!” Song Xu Yi lifted her head and couldn’t help but gaze at Ye Shuiyu. They were now very close to the capital city, and even if the outing took some time, they would still arrive in the evening. Before facing the bloodshed and turmoil in the capital city, regardless of what the future held, Song Xu Yi wanted to leave Ye Shuiyu with some beautiful memories. Memories that she should have had as a fifteen-year-old, but never experienced.

Ye Shuiyu didn’t initially grasp the situation, but once she did, her eyes visibly brightened.

“Really?” Ye Shuiyu couldn’t help but ask, fearing Song Xu Yi’s rejection. Realizing she had spoken foolishly, Ye Shuiyu immediately turned around. “I’ll go tell Zhao Miaomiao the good news—”

She rushed off in a hurry, forgetting to tidy up her cosmetics.

Helplessly organizing the cosmetics, Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but be infected by Ye Shuiyu’s happiness, and a sense of joy welled up within her.

Not far across the road, there was an abandoned botanical garden. Song Xu Yi took Ye Shuiyu and Zhao Miaomiao to the scenic area. Unlike the artificial landscapes in decline, the plants in the botanical garden grew wildly, with colorful flowers blooming regardless of the season. The entire botanical garden appeared unexpectedly beautiful.

Ye Shuiyu somehow acquired a mobile phone from somewhere and asked Zhao Miaomiao to take photos of her and Song Xu Yi. Zhao Miaomiao was extremely angry because she also wanted to take a picture with Song Xu Yi. However, Zhao Miaomiao lacked the courage to compete with Ye Shuiyu for Song Xu Yi’s attention. She could only take the photos of the two with a pouting expression and a threatening gaze from Ye Shuiyu.

Song Xu Yi mentioned an idea, suggesting that Ye Shuiyu use her wood-based supernatural ability to control plants for the photos. It was at this moment that Zhao Miaomiao finally had the right to be in the frame. She happily followed behind Song Xu Yi like a little tail, smiling foolishly. The three of them took pictures together.

As Song Xu Yi hit the road once again, Ye Shuiyu clearly showed reluctance to leave.

She continuously flipped through the photos on her phone, a wild smile gracing her lips. Anyone who saw her could feel her joy.

The corners of Song Xu Yi’s lips couldn’t help but curve upwards. Regardless of how Ye Shuiyu would feel when she recalled everything in a few days, Song Xu Yi only wished that Ye Shuiyu would remember the happiness of this moment.

Around nine o’clock in the evening, the group arrived at Jing City.

A tall wall was erected outside Jing City, with several checkpoints installed to register people’s identities, origins, and conduct blood tests on three individuals to determine if they carried the zombie virus. They also recorded whether anyone possessed supernatural abilities and issued passage cards accordingly.

As documented in later records, the crystal nuclei had become a valuable currency. After the blood tests, Song Xu Yi and her companions were required to pay crystal nuclei to be quarantined for 12 hours at the isolation station in Jing City. They had to wait for the test results before being allowed entry. Those without crystal nuclei would be rejected at the gates of Jing City.

This was the Jing City base led by Yu Song…

Song Xu Yi listened to the cries of the rejected individuals, her heart filled with unbearable compassion. However, when she remembered her mission to assassinate Yu Song, she forced herself to lower her head and handed over the crystal nuclei to be admitted into the isolation station.

They called it an isolation station, but it was merely a collection of large tents pitched outside the city walls of Jing City. Many people crouched inside the tents, awaiting the results of their blood tests.

Most of the people coming and going were disheveled and weary, their faces showing signs of hardship. Seeing the neat and tidy appearance of the three individuals, the reception staff became slightly more polite and arranged for them to have a separate small tent.

The sound of crying and wailing outside was incessant. Song Xu Yi furrowed her brow, thinking about the elderly and children who had been expelled from the queues earlier. After careful consideration, she couldn’t help but turn to Ye Shuiyu: “Shuiyu, could you help secretly give some crystal nuclei to those elderly and children after it gets late?…” Song Xu Yi knew that all the crystal nuclei were earned by Ye Shuiyu, so her request was quite presumptuous. Unconsciously biting her lower lip, she spoke softly: “I know it’s unfair to ask this of you, but can you consider it a debt I owe you? If there’s a chance in the future, I will do everything I can to help you…”

“Okay!” However, Ye Shuiyu smiled at Song Xu Yi, gently patting her shoulder. “You know, I don’t expect anything in return from you. Besides, I promised you to do good deeds!” Ye Shuiyu blinked, radiating an incredibly bright smile. “It was your idea, and doing good deeds makes me happy too…”

Song Xu Yi didn’t expect that her casual remark had been etched into Ye Shuiyu’s heart. Thinking back to how the initially caring and considerate Ye Shuiyu had turned into a ruthless zombie king, slaughtering without mercy, Song Xu Yi’s heartache deepened.

Song Xu Yi understood that Ye Shuiyu was trying to comfort her, but she couldn’t wholeheartedly accept Ye Shuiyu’s goodwill. After pondering for a moment, she spoke softly, “Then I’ll promise you one request, just like before,” pausing briefly before adding, “Any request you have.” If in the future, Ye Shuiyu remembered her experience at eighteen but couldn’t bring herself to take action, then Ye Shuiyu could use this request to let her end it herself.

Ye Shuiyu seemed instinctively inclined to refuse, but something seemed to cross her mind. Her cheeks turned slightly red, and she nodded gently. “I’ve noted it down. When it gets late, I’ll secretly distribute the crystal nuclei.”

Listening to the cries outside, Song Xu Yi felt an overwhelming heaviness in her heart. Tossing and turning, she had a subconscious feeling that she had forgotten something, but upon careful reflection, she couldn’t remember.

It wasn’t until a wave of drowsiness swept over her that Song Xu Yi remembered. Ye Shuiyu would transform into another zombie king with all her memories intact during the night.

Would that zombie king version of Ye Shuiyu remember their agreement…?

Song Xu Yi struggled to stay awake, but she couldn’t resist the release of Ye Shuiyu’s abilities and eventually passed out.

At the same time, Ye Shuiyu, with her eyes tightly shut, opened them.

A faint red glow emanated from Ye Shuiyu’s eyes as she used her metal manipulation ability to weave numerous sturdy metal threads at the entrance of the tent, ensuring that anyone who ventured nearby would be detected. Only then did Ye Shuiyu slowly step out of the tent…

Simultaneously, in a laboratory within Jīng City, the blood samples were being analyzed with great urgency. Suddenly, an eerie gust of wind blew through the window, causing papers to flutter and scatter onto the floor…

The researchers picked up the scattered documents, and upon returning to the table, they noticed several blood samples stacked together. Furrowing their brows, the researchers felt that something was off with certain vials, but they couldn’t quite grasp it at the moment. Without further delay, they resumed their analysis…

This time, among the several samples, one was found to have a high concentration of the zombie virus. The base quickly apprehended the individual and took control. However, upon retesting, the person’s blood showed no abnormalities related to the zombie virus. The base suspected that the researchers had mixed up the zombie blood sample with the human sample, and they reprimanded the researchers, albeit insignificantly. Afterward, the matter was not further investigated.

These events took place the following day. Meanwhile, Ye Shuiyu, who had used her abilities to swap the blood samples, was walking down the road when something suddenly crossed her mind. She abruptly halted her steps.

It was near the villa of a high-ranking official in Jīng City. The official and a group of people were reveling, while inside the storage room, a safe contained numerous shimmering crystals, sparkling like gemstones.

Ye Shuiyu curved her enchanting red lips as her air manipulation ability carried her effortlessly onto the rooftop, akin to a nimble cat. She positioned herself above the storage room.

In an instant, the metal of the safe melted away. Within moments, most of the crystals found their way into Ye Shuiyu’s hands.

Meanwhile, on that same night, the pitiful children and elderly who didn’t even have tents, residing by the roadside, suddenly found themselves holding a crystal nucleus in their hands…

As one elderly person, who was comforting a sleeping child, excitedly discovered the crystal core beside them, Ye Shuiyu had already returned to the center of the tent.

Ye Shuiyu’s eyes resembled the most translucent rubies. Facing the fearful and apprehensive gazes of the survivors, she walked to the innermost part of the tent and quietly gazed at the sleeping face of Song Xu Yi.

After a long while, Ye Shuiyu sneered softly, “It’s not for your sake!”

She pinched Song Xu Yi’s face, then as she passed by Zhao Miaomiao in the middle, she gave a disdainful tug to the blanket that Zhao Miaomiao had stretched out from under, but suddenly froze in her movement.

Listening to the sound of metal wires being touched, audible only to her, and the vulgar words carried by the wind, the crimson glow in Ye Shuiyu’s eyes grew even more seductive…

This was a provocation to the Jing City base.

It was said that Yu Song, upon hearing this, flew into a rage and intensified the city’s vigilance and search efforts.

Early in the morning, Song Xu Yi heard this news and was momentarily stunned. She remembered the message from the system about Ye Shuiyu going out last night and subconsciously glanced at her. However, Ye Shuiyu’s expression was filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, Xu Yi. I slept too deeply last night and forgot to distribute the crystals. I will remember tonight…”

“No need,” Song Xu Yi shook her head, feeling that based on Ye Shuiyu’s character during the night, she probably wouldn’t help her.

Song Xu Yi bid farewell to Ye Shuiyu at the entrance.

Before parting ways, Song Xu Yi asked Ye Shuiyu for a gun that the metal detector couldn’t detect, claiming it was for self-protection.

During the day, Ye Shuiyu was obedient to Song Xu Yi and naturally handed over the gun.

Song Xu Yi acted perfectly normal, arranging to meet Ye Shuiyu at the same place in five days. Ye Shuiyu didn’t notice anything unusual about Song Xu Yi and, despite her reluctance, agreed to Song Xu Yi’s request.

Once Ye Shuiyu could no longer see Song Xu Yi’s figure, she left Jing City with Zhao Miaomiao.

Song Xu Yi walked straight into the tallest research building controlled by Yu Song and announced her identity to the staff.

Since the advent of the apocalypse, many renowned biologists had perished, and Song Xu Yi, with a considerable reputation in the field, received a warm reception upon hearing her name.

As Song Xu Yi had anticipated, she successfully secured a position in the research institute after a simple round of exams. She also obtained a small house next to the institute and heard news that Yu Song would be inspecting the facility on the third day.

Song Xu Yi diligently began preparing her plan to assassinate Yu Song. She knew she couldn’t rely solely on the gun and started exploring the city’s map, intending to purchase some poison to eliminate him. However, in the middle of the night, Ye Shuiyu unexpectedly arrived.

Before Song Xu Yi could fully grasp the situation, she found herself succumbing to a deep slumber.

Emerging from the shadows, Ye Shuiyu, with her eyes shimmering red, fixed a complex gaze upon Song Xu Yi, smirking coldly.

“Why did you join the research institute? Was it because you recognized me?”

Her face appeared serene, yet her eyes brimmed with profound anger. Leaning in close to Song Xu Yi’s ear, she spoke ominously, “Or perhaps you knew it was me all along, and everything about me was just a pretense?”

“Maybe you despise me, afraid of this cold, tainted corpse that I’ve become.”

……

Song Xu Yi naturally remained silent, knowing better than to answer. Ye Shuiyu, seemingly uninterested in hearing Song Xu Yi’s response, traced her fingers along Song Xu Yi’s neck, finally unable to resist lightly biting her ear. “You better not betray me!”

“If you betray me, I will… I will definitely kill you!”

Despite her fierce words, Ye Shuiyu appeared deeply saddened, as if on the verge of tears…

The next day, Song Xu Yi was assigned to an important position within the research institute, starting her study of the zombie virus.

When Song Xu Yi witnessed the researchers injecting subjects with a serum to observe their life characteristics as they turned into zombies, she stood frozen in place. Meanwhile, the others seemed unfazed, and someone even “kindly” informed Song Xu Yi, “Once that person dies, their family will receive a substantial compensation. They can live a good life…”

Song Xu Yi was shocked by the indifference these people showed towards life, forcing herself to ignore the gruesome scenes as she secretly prepared for the assassination the next day.

However, Song Xu Yi failed again on the following day—

Her bullet struck a stunned Yu Song’s body, but she hadn’t anticipated that Yu Song had activated his dual abilities—his metallic manipulation ability melted the bullet, revealing his other power. He wore a sinister smile as he commanded plants to grip Song Xu Yi’s throat, swiftly snapping her hyoid bone…

Would she die?

The sensation of suffocation gradually crept in, the voice of the system fading away. Her neck throbbed with pain, and Song Xu Yi couldn’t discern if it was real or imagined. In the final moment of her unconsciousness, she thought she caught a glimpse of Ye Shuiyu…

The author has something to say:

Ah, the flag has fallen. Today was filled with unexpected events, so I only wrote this much~

Tomorrow, I’ll see if I can make up for it with a Saturday update. Goodnight…