What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms – CH139-141

Chapter 139| Chapter 140 | Chapter 141

Chapter 139: I Need You to Know

Pei Xiqing looked at him, slightly surprised. “Isn’t he already considered dead?”

“Alive or dead don’t really apply to zombies,” Duan Xiaolin replied, raising his eyes from his documents. “But yes.”

“So, where is Xiaobai?”

“At the base.”

Pei Xiqing was genuinely surprised. “Is it really okay to keep a zombie dog at the capital base?” She silently hoped the poor creature wouldn’t be discovered.

“Long Yan is taking care of him and keeps him close by at all times.”

“That’s a relief, then.”

Pei Xiqing stepped closer, a warm feeling in her chest. “I knew you wouldn’t just stand by and let Xiaobai get captured for their experiments.”

Just as she was about to wrap her arms around him in a hug, Duan Xiaolin raised a hand and gently held her back, leaving her completely confused.

Why the rejection? Doesn’t he want to be close right now?

The man simply continued to flip through the file in his hand, circling a few names on the document. Pei Xiqing glanced at the photos attached to the names, guessing these were likely the criminals targeted for arrest during this black market operation.

She turned back to look at Duan Xiaolin, but before she could ask anything, the man spoke calmly. “Close the door.”

Pei Xiqing blinked in confusion.

Then he added, “Lock it.”

“Didn’t you already close it when we came in?” Although feeling a bit bewildered, Pei Xiqing still walked over and did as she was told.

After ensuring the door was securely locked from the inside, she turned around to see the man sitting on the sofa, methodically placing the cap back onto his pen.

He looked up. “Have you rested well?”

Pei Xiqing sensed something shifting in the atmosphere. “…No, not really. I didn’t sleep at all last night, so I’m actually a little… sleepy.”

“Then rest.”

“Can I really just rest?”

“Mm.”

Pei Xiqing walked over to the edge of the bed. Before she could even kick off her shoes, she noticed him moving out of the corner of her eye. She looked up and saw the man slowly unbuttoning his cuffs and removing the watch from his wrist. The back of his hand was elegant, with slender, prominent joints. His movements were unhurried and methodical, radiating a calm, sophisticated grace.

She swallowed nervously. “Do you… want to rest too?”

“I’m not resting.” He paused deliberately, letting the silence stretch for a heartbeat before continuing, “However, there is something you need to know.”

Pei Xiqing stood up straighter, her expression turning serious. “What is it?”

“Take off your clothes,” he instructed softly.

Pei Xiqing felt her forehead immediately grow hot.

She stood there, suddenly uncertain. “…Right now?”

Here?

The soundproofing of this shabby wasteland hotel didn’t seem to be very good. Because these buildings were hastily renovated after years of decay, simply having a solid roof over one’s head in the apocalypse was considered a luxury. Consequently, loud noises from the adjacent rooms bled right through the walls. She had just heard someone shouting next door. At first, she couldn’t tell if it was an old couple arguing or what, as a man and a woman seemed to be going back and forth.

But listening closely now, she realized the two people next door weren’t arguing at all. They were just far too excited, cursing and crying out in the throes of passion.

Coupled with the rhythmic, slapping sounds hitting the wall, the other residents in the corridor couldn’t help but jeer and make fun of them.

“Oh, go hard! Looks like this guy has been holding it in for a long time, hahahaha!”

“Get the hell out of here! Mind your own business!”

Pei Xiqing peeked out of the window to take a curious glance at the commotion outside, then quickly pulled her head back in and firmly shut the balcony window, locking out the noise.

Locked! No wonder Duan Xiaolin had told her to lock the main door earlier. He must have heard the ridiculous noise long before she did.

Turning back around, she found him watching her with a leisurely expression. “Very interested?”

“No.”

“Would you rather be out there instead of in here?”

Pei Xiqing felt as if her entire body was burning. Under his calm, intense gaze, she slowly sat on the edge of the bed and began to undress.

She appreciated the warm, soft mattress beneath her. Soon, she was down to just a tight-fitting, long-sleeved thermal shirt. She hesitated for a long moment before finally pulling it over her head in one swift motion.

The ambient air in the room was still quite chilly. The moment her bare skin was exposed to the draft, a thin layer of goosebumps erupted across her arms. She quickly slipped under the quilt, trying to cover herself up for warmth. But as she adjusted the blankets, she was shocked to find that the man was suddenly standing right beside the bed. She hadn’t even heard him move.

Startled, she gasped as he suddenly grabbed her arm. Her body tipped backward uncontrollably, gently pushed down into the mattress by his firm grip.

Before she could fully process what was happening, Duan Xiaolin placed his palm heavily against her shoulder, effortlessly turning her onto her stomach and holding her in place.

Pei Xiqing didn’t understand what he was doing. She only felt the sudden release of tension across her back as he unhooked her bra.

Now, she felt completely exposed.

Suddenly, an icy object made contact with her bare skin. It was at least ten times colder than the chilled air in the room. She shivered violently and instinctively tried to look back over her shoulder, only to freeze in momentary fright.

Duan Xiaolin was holding a delicate, incredibly thin metallic chain, slowly trailing it against her skin.

Pei Xiqing tried to squirm away, but his hand clamped around her wrist, pinning it down. His movements were light, yet possessed an irresistible, overwhelming strength.

“Don’t move,” he murmured softly. “It will be over soon.”

The chain was exquisitely crafted; resting in his long fingers, it looked like a deadly piece of art. Duan Xiaolin’s expression was entirely composed, treating the process with careful, serious precision. His handsome features even softened with a hint of gentleness due to his intense concentration.

He was still wearing his usual silver-rimmed glasses, but she noticed obvious signs of repair on one side. They looked far less pristine and aristocratic than before.

Lying awkwardly on her stomach, she desperately searched for a distraction. “How did your glasses get broken?”

Hearing this, the man lifted his eyes slightly, glancing down at her. “What do you think?”

Pei Xiqing then remembered—she was the one who had accidentally broken them during their last chaotic encounter. She just hadn’t expected him to actually get the frame repaired and the lenses replaced instead of just getting a new pair.

She subconsciously tried to reach up and touch them, but he caught her wrist and pinned it securely above her head.

“I told you,” Duan Xiaolin reminded her, his voice dropping an octave. “Don’t move.”

Pei Xiqing bit her lower lip, still having no idea what he was doing to her. She only felt a faint, tingling itch spreading across her back. The metallic chain had been resting against her skin for so long that it had warmed to her body temperature, completely losing its initial icy bite.

After what felt like an eternity, just as a small sneeze escaped her lips, the man finally released his hold and pulled her up into a sitting position.

Pei Xiqing immediately clutched the quilt to her chest and reached around to feel her back.

She touched nothing but her own bare skin.

Yet, she could still feel the distinct sensation of the chain clinging to her, even though there was no physical object restricting her movements.

Looking down, she noticed that he had released her wrists at some point without her realizing. There were faint red marks left on her skin from his grip, but it didn’t hurt.

For a moment, she was utterly baffled. She couldn’t figure out what Duan Xiaolin had just done.

She looked back up at him. “What did you do?”

Duan Xiaolin stood beside the bed, his dark eyes calm, tracing the invisible lines on her skin with a look of deep, terrifying admiration.

Pei Xiqing’s stomach dropped. She suddenly felt that something was very, very wrong.

Chapter 140: Forced to Become a Bad Woman

She walked into the bathroom, bringing her fresh clothes with her.

Standing in front of the mirror, she looked at her bare back. She was immediately stunned when she saw the snake totem etched onto her skin.

Then, she looked down at her chest.

The serpent mark that had previously rested over her heart had disappeared, as if it had migrated entirely to her back. Now, if she wore any clothing with a slightly loose or low-cut neckline, the mark would be completely visible at a glance.

Furthermore… the totem wasn’t just a simple snake anymore. There were now three vibrant pink flowers tightly coiled within the serpent’s body. The snake’s head loomed above them, looking incredibly ferocious, as if it wanted to completely strangle the blossoms, yet it was deliberately holding back from crushing them. The two elements seemed completely contradictory. From a distance, it looked like a hostile standoff, but when she looked closer, the coiled snake was actually… fiercely protecting the flowers?

Pei Xiqing was shocked.

She didn’t understand. She really didn’t understand.

The snake totem wasn’t particularly large—about the size of a palm—but it was incredibly striking.

She walked out and asked, “Brother Duan, what is this? What happened to the Qiong Snake?”

“It’s still inside you,” he said calmly. “You can summon it whenever you wish.”

“Then why isn’t the mark on my chest anymore?”

“Mm.”

“Ah?”

Duan Xiaolin didn’t give a direct answer. He simply asked, “Do you want to see it?”

Pei Xiqing walked over and looked at the mark in the mirror again for a few seconds.

She stared.

Aside from the suffocating, sinister aura radiating from the serpent’s body, the entire pattern possessed an indescribably harmonious beauty.

The colors were incredibly vivid, making anyone who saw it feel that this was a flawless work of art rather than a supernatural totem, let alone a mere tattoo. This was because the colors subtly shifted and changed in real-time, perfectly matching her emotional state and breathing. It was a soft, pale pink one second, but the moment her breathing hitched with nervousness, the petals shifted into a deep, vivid crimson.

“What kind of flower is that? It’s actually quite pretty.”

“Peach blossoms.”

“…Hmm? Ah?”

Peach blossoms???

Why did she suddenly feel like Duan Xiaolin was making a heavily loaded, hidden threat…?

Damn it.

Pei Xiqing slowly turned around and met the man’s dark, gloomy gaze.

She swallowed hard in silence.

Was this a silent warning telling her not to get tangled up in messy romantic affairs again? [Note: In Chinese culture, “peach blossoms” represent romantic luck or affairs.] Was he warning her that if she did, he would strangle her to death just like the snake in the totem?

Duan Xiaolin leaned in closer, his warm breath ghosting over her ear. “They suit you perfectly.”

Pei Xiqing frowned. “I feel like there’s a hidden meaning behind your words.”

The man chuckled darkly. “Gorgeous and charming, yet hazy and fickle.”

“You really are insulting me.”

But the next second, the man’s expression shifted entirely.

His hand clamped around the back of her neck, firmly forcing her to look at her own reflection in the mirror. His fingertips traced heavily over the blossoms of the totem, applying a considerable amount of pressure until red marks bloomed on her delicate skin. Only then did he finally relent.

He murmured, “This totem won’t cause any harm to your body. It is still the physical anchor for the Qiong Snake, but… I’ve added a little something extra.”

“What did you add?”

“Medicine.” He stated simply, “Medicine that will ensure you need me.”

Pei Xiqing was startled. “What did you say?”

“I want you to know that I will always need you.” He stared intensely at Pei Xiqing’s flushed face in the mirror. “But you… you don’t necessarily need me.”

Pei Xiqing felt as if her heart had just taken a heavy blow.

For a moment, she was utterly speechless.

He needed her, but she didn’t necessarily need him.

It was true. She had survived this long without truly needing anyone.

The man gently nibbled on her earlobe. “I don’t possess much patience, but for you, I’m willing to give you enough. However, when you’ve finally had enough fun running around… you have to learn to settle down.”

Pei Xiqing tried her absolute best to remain calm. To be completely honest, his warning terrified her a little.

She knew exactly how dangerous Duan Xiaolin was. He wasn’t someone she could easily handle. In front of others, he might obey her unconditionally, indulge her every whim, and act as if he didn’t care about anything else in the world. But in private, he would never, ever let her go.

She forcibly suppressed the trembling of her body.

“This medicine… when does it take effect?”

The man’s grip tightened slightly on her neck. He whispered hoarsely, “Whenever you want it to.”

She took a sharp, deep breath. “You absolute bastard. You’re trying to force me to become a bad woman.”

He laughed softly. “Just how bad?”

Furious, Pei Xiqing bit down hard on the webbing of his hand between his thumb and index finger. Then, she spun around and hit his chest.

Being dominated by one’s desires wasn’t inherently evil, but being driven only by raw desire was really… too shameful to even think about.

Pei Xiqing glared at him fiercely. If she actually turned into a terrible woman who only knew how to drag men to bed, and he couldn’t keep up with her demands, she would definitely kick him to the curb!

The man seemed to effortlessly read her inner, calculating thoughts. He pinched her chin, tilting her face up to meet his. “Don’t worry. As long as you don’t actively desire it, the medicine won’t trigger. And there’s absolutely no point in seeking out anyone else to satisfy you… unless you want to watch them die right in front of you, one by one.”

Pei Xiqing was so angry she could barely speak.

It wasn’t even because of his threat. It was entirely because the cold, possessive look in his eyes when he said those words actually made the totem on her back start to burn with sudden heat.

She roughly pushed the man away and hastily covered the totem on her back with her hands, practically crawling into the bed in sheer shame.

One second she was furious, and the next second, her body was betraying her.

He must never, ever find out!

This absolute bastard!

Pei Xiqing hid herself under the quilt, feeling like she was suffocating.

Silence descended upon the room for a long while.

Eventually, feeling far too hot, she pushed the covers down. Peeking out, she saw that the man had already sat back down on the sofa and resumed his work, reading through the classified files his subordinates had gathered for the mission.

He didn’t have much time left to review them.

Pei Xiqing lay there, sulking silently, refusing to speak to him.

He, on the other hand, acted as if nothing had happened. He picked up the delicate silver chain he had used earlier and casually crushed it into fine powder using his supernatural energy.

After a while, Pei Xiqing began to feel genuinely drowsy, yet the burning heat radiating from her back refused to fade. She stared at the man sitting across the room; his expression was completely serious, looking aloof and utterly untouchable. Her mouth felt incredibly dry.

She desperately wanted a drink of water, but her pride refused to let her speak to him.

She could only fan her flushed face with her hands, silently repeating a mantra in her head: I feel nothing, I feel absolutely nothing… I’m just a little emotionally agitated right now, that doesn’t mean I actually feel that way toward Duan Xiaolin…

The man on the sofa noticed her restless fanning. The corner of his mouth curled up slightly. “Do you want some water? Or do you want me to help you cool down?”

“Nothing!” Pei Xiqing snapped defensively. “I just think the heater in this room is set too high, that’s all!”

“I see.”

The man nodded, his expression completely serious, though his eyes danced with amusement.

She didn’t know how long it took before the burning sensation from the totem finally subsided, and the temperature of her blood returned to normal.

She looked back up at the man, who was deeply immersed in his official paperwork. Seeing the faint hint of dark exhaustion in his eyes, she couldn’t help but whisper, “You actually still made the time to come find me. You must have taken a massive detour, right? This waypoint is actually quite far off the direct route to Base Six. You must be in a rush, constantly taking shortcuts and using your sleeping hours just to catch up on work.”

She suggested softly, “How about you don’t bother resting tonight and we just hit the road early? I can sleep in the car on the way.”

“It’s too late for that,” Duan Xiaolin replied without looking up. “We might as well try a different method to deal with them once we arrive.”

Pei Xiqing propped her chin on her hands, hugging the quilt. “Am I delaying your mission?”

“No,” he said softly. “It was a welcome surprise.”

He finally looked up, meeting her eyes. “You are an unexpected surprise.”

She was a precious treasure he finally had back in his grasp.

He stared at her deeply.

Pei Xiqing pretended not to notice the intensity of his gaze. She let out an exaggerated yawn, lay flat on the bed, and pulled the quilt all the way up to her chin.

“Then I’m going to sleep first.”

She closed her eyes, and the room finally settled into complete silence.

She really was exhausted. A whole night of intense mental stimulation and adrenaline had kept her brain running in overdrive, and dealing with the effects of the new totem had completely drained her.

Now that she had finally settled down, it didn’t take long for her to drift off, gradually losing consciousness.

Hovering in a state between half-asleep and half-awake, she could vaguely see that the small lamp on the desk remained on all night. The man never stopped working. She tossed and turned several times, and every time she opened her eyes, he was still busy processing documents. She didn’t have the energy to think about it too deeply and always quickly fell back asleep.

She didn’t know how long she had slept. When she finally opened her eyes groggily, it was still pitch black outside. Checking the time, she saw it was only a little past five in the morning.

Outside the window lay the endless, dark desert and the ruins of the city. The view from their third-floor room was quite expansive, allowing them to see the distant Gobi Desert stretching beneath the gray, pre-dawn sky.

Pei Xiqing yawned loudly, wrapping the quilt tightly around herself as she rolled over. When she met the pair of quiet, alert eyes watching her from the sofa, her sleepiness faded significantly. She mumbled, “Brother Duan, have you not slept at all? It’s almost dawn. Why are you still reviewing those files?”

“I’m almost done.”

Pei Xiqing kicked off the quilt and got out of bed.

She had slept for nearly an entire day’s worth of hours. She padded into the bathroom to wash her face, then walked out and plopped down on the sofa right next to the man.

As naturally as breathing, he pulled her into his arms.

Duan Xiaolin pressed a hand against her forehead, then gently touched the totem on her back. After confirming there were no signs of a fever or any allergic reaction to the medicine, he let out a breath and murmured, “Next time… just come to me.”

His sigh was incredibly soft, barely perceptible.

She wasn’t the only one who suffered from the distance.

Chapter 141: Reasonable

She sat there from just after five o’clock until half-past seven. The sky outside had turned a pale, hazy gray—not much different from how it looked at dawn, though the sun had fully risen. The gloomy atmosphere likely meant the sky was being choked by a massive, swirling sandstorm.

After a long, deep sleep, Pei Xiqing felt completely rejuvenated. She nestled comfortably in the man’s arms, occasionally scrolling through her phone. At one point, she casually glanced over at the file he was reading.

By the time she realized what she was looking at, it was too late.

Raising her eyes to meet his calm gaze, Pei Xiqing coughed lightly and quickly sat up.

Duan Xiaolin raised a hand and gently patted her head. “Pack your things. We’re getting ready to leave.”

Pei Xiqing nodded. “Understood.”

The cover of the file was stamped with two glaring red words: Top Secret. She genuinely hadn’t meant to snoop. But even though she had just seen classified headquarters information, Duan Xiaolin didn’t seem to care in the slightest.

Pei Xiqing didn’t have much to pack. Just as she finished, a knock sounded at the door.

Opening it, she was surprised to see the proprietress standing there with clothes in her arms. “You’re…”

Mudan chuckled, handing over two sets of clean garments. “Lord Duan asked me to bring these up for you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Pei Xiqing was about to close the door when Mudan suddenly stopped her, leaning in to whisper, “Be careful when you go to the black market.”

Pei Xiqing frowned, not understanding. Why the specific warning? This was technically their first time meeting. However, from Mudan’s perspective, this was actually their third encounter. Unfortunately, the original host’s memories of following Gu He to this restaurant were incredibly blurry.

Duan Xiaolin had just stepped into the bathroom, out of sight. Only the sound of running water echoed from inside. That was exactly why Mudan dared to pull her aside for a private chat.

“Hmm?” Mudan studied her reaction, looking extremely surprised. She stared closely for several seconds, unwilling to miss even the slightest shift in the girl’s expression. After a moment, she pinched her own chin and looked Pei Xiqing up and down. “Did I recognize the wrong person, or… have you lost your memory?”

Pei Xiqing smiled faintly. “Maybe both?”

She wasn’t the original host, so it was impossible for her to know every little detail of the girl’s past. If someone was trying to test her, amnesia was the perfect excuse.

“No, that’s not right…” Mudan muttered, still staring at her. “You are the sweetheart who used to follow Gu He around. I would never mistake you for someone else.”

“You seem to have already confirmed it,” Pei Xiqing replied smoothly. “Since you already have the answer, why ask?”

“Oh my, what a heartless little sister you are. You’ve been here before, how could you just forget me? It’s been so long, and you really don’t remember…” Mudan chuckled lightly.

Pei Xiqing was wondering why the woman’s words were suddenly so disjointed when Mudan abruptly grabbed her hand, shoved a small piece of paper into her palm, and patted it suggestively.

“Forget it, it’s fine. These clothes are for you and Lord Duan. Let me know if you need anything else.” Stepping back, she winked at Pei Xiqing and mouthed a silent message: Gu He gave this to you.

Then, she closed the door and left.

Pei Xiqing frowned deeply. She unfolded the note and glanced at it. There was no actual message—just a single character written on it: Gu.

Damn it… What absolute terrible luck.

Goosebumps erupted all over Pei Xiqing’s arms. She wanted nothing more than to burn the scrap of paper to ashes on the spot. Wasn’t Gu He supposed to be dead? Back at Base Three, he had caused endless trouble and deliberately provoked the wrong people. Hadn’t he been locked away in the water dungeon to die?

No, wait… Pei Xiqing carefully recalled the novel’s plot. Gu He was the third male lead. The story hadn’t yet reached his scripted death scene, so naturally, he wouldn’t actually die before then. It was the exact same situation as Xiao Yue. These crucial characters simply couldn’t die outside the predetermined scope of the plot.

She wasn’t afraid of Gu He himself, but she was terrified of the main plot derailing and causing the entire world to collapse.

Pei Xiqing was still lost in thought when the bathroom door opened and Duan Xiaolin stepped out.

He was reaching for his repaired glasses on the cabinet when he noticed her expression. Slipping them on, he walked over. “What’s wrong?”

Seeing him struggling with his cuffs, Pei Xiqing stepped forward and began buttoning his shirt for him. Lowering her head, she asked quietly, “To you, is Mudan trustworthy, or is she just a chess piece?”

“General Gu from headquarters once saved her husband’s life.” Without her even realizing, the man had plucked the note from her hand. Holding it casually between his long fingers, he said indifferently, “It’s completely understandable that she would harbor Gu He.”

“Wait. Back in the water dungeon at Base Three… Gu He didn’t die?”

“He died.”

“Then how is this possible?”

Duan Xiaolin lowered his eyes, a faint smirk playing on his lips. “Guess.”

Pei Xiqing tilted her head, thoroughly confused. “Ah? If someone died in the water dungeon, how could he still be alive…” Suddenly, it clicked. There was only one possibility in this world. “Did he inject himself with something?”

“Mm,” the man hummed. “A good guess, but not entirely correct.”

“Let me think about it…” Pei Xiqing muttered. “He died in the dungeon, then revived… He injected himself with a serum that turned him into a half-zombie, and now he relies entirely on black market drugs to maintain his sanity and physical integrity, right?”

“It was his only way to survive,” Duan Xiaolin explained, carelessly crushing the note in his fist. “He faked his death and escaped the water prison. When chaos broke out at Base Three, an inside contact managed to smuggle him out. He should be hiding in the black market right now.”

“The black market controls the drug supply,” Pei Xiqing realized. “He came here specifically for the medication.”

Duan Xiaolin chuckled. “Not bad.”

“How did Mudan get in touch with him? Through General Gu?”

“Yes.”

Pei Xiqing sighed. She had never met the elder General Gu, but in the novel, he was portrayed as a fiercely upright and honorable man. She never expected that he would walk down such a dark, unforgiving path just to save his son.

What were those ‘medicines’ anyway? They were no different from hard, illicit drugs. There was no such thing as truly “bringing people back to life” in the apocalypse. The serum simply infected the host with a controlled strain of the zombie virus, continuously stimulating the mutated cells to keep the host animated. In truth, the person became nothing more than an empty shell controlled by the virus. Once someone got hooked on those drugs, they were doomed to spend the rest of their life pouring endless fortunes of crystal cores into maintaining their supply.

She remembered Long Yan mentioning that these drugs were originally designed to sedate those who had already turned into zombies—like the infected test subjects locked in the cages lining the base’s roads. Gu He hadn’t been infected with the zombie virus when he died; using the serum to reanimate a corpse was a horrifying taboo.

Pei Xiqing finished buttoning his shirt and gently adjusted his collar. When she raised her head, she realized just how close she was to his thin lips.

Having just stepped out of the shower, his skin was still slightly damp, radiating a comforting, clean warmth. His dark hair was pushed back casually, fully revealing the sharp, flawless contours of his face. Completely mesmerized, she leaned forward and kissed him.

The man raised an eyebrow in mild surprise before his hands settled firmly on her waist, pulling her flush against his chest. Pei Xiqing offered no resistance; as soon as he pulled her in, she melted into his embrace, her body going soft against his.

Before she could say another word, he gripped her waist and effortlessly lifted her off the ground.

Feeling a sudden lack of balance, Pei Xiqing quickly wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. His strong hands supported her thighs, but he deliberately gave her a slight, teasing jostle, making her flush with flustered panic.

“…What are you doing?”

In response, the man simply smiled faintly and leaned in to bite her lower lip.

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