What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms – CH217-219

Chapter 217| Chapter 218| Chapter 219

Chapter 217: I Can Trust You

Ma Mengxiang was utterly stunned. Her mouth hung open, and it took her a long, slow moment to process the weight of what had just been offered.

Seeing Pei Xiqing waiting patiently for an answer, she hurriedly stammered, “Wait… wait a second! Are you… are you serious? Miss Pei, you can’t just throw something like that around lightly. What exactly do you mean by ‘guaranteeing safety’? It’s a total bloodbath out there! A few days ago, Zhang Tian explicitly told us that it isn’t just zombies roaming the wasteland anymore; there are parasites and God knows what else. Not even an elite operative like her can absolutely guarantee someone’s safety on the road.”

“Since I gave you my word, I can absolutely deliver,” Pei Xiqing said steadily. “Of course, you have every right to refuse or not believe me. It is entirely your choice. I won’t hold it against you either way.”

Ma Mengxiang frantically waved her hands. “No, no, it isn’t that I don’t believe you! It’s just… it sounds impossible. The outside world is practically a meat grinder.”

She paused, biting her lip before she couldn’t help but add softly, “If… if you can truly promise me that, then I can trust you.”

“Do you want to come with us?”

Ma Mengxiang looked a bit embarrassed. Dropping her gaze to the floorboards, she murmured, “If we stay here, we’re almost certainly going to die eventually. I know the exact structural integrity of every building in this village. If a wandering horde somehow breaches the valley pass, it will be like falling into a tiger trap in the mountains. We won’t have a single route to escape.”

Add to that the devastating torrential rains they had just endured. The flood had washed away almost the entirety of the village’s crop yield. No matter how resilient or optimistic she tried to be at first, the sheer weight of reality was grinding her resolve into dust.

If Pei Xiqing and Duan Xiaolin were still planning to stay, she would have held onto a glimmer of confidence to rebuild everything from scratch. But now, even they were packing up to leave. The realization made the sky feel incredibly dark; she felt consumed by a profound, suffocating despair.

Almost the entire population had fled toward the base. Right now, it was just her and a handful of frail, childless elders who couldn’t physically manage the trek left in the valley. They were practically just sitting around waiting to die.

If they tried to hike to the base independently, they would be ripped apart by walkers on the road. If they stayed, they would either starve to death through the winter or die from exposure to the elements.

She honestly didn’t know what she was supposed to do.

A major reason she hadn’t joined the original convoy was her deep-seated intuition that Liu Dongshu wasn’t reliable in the slightest. The arrogant commander she had met was entirely unrecognizable from the boy she had played with as a child. In fact, she had found his sudden, heroic arrival to “rescue” his old neighbors incredibly suspicious. What was the phrase…? Having ulterior motives? Yes, that was exactly how it felt.

Regardless of the specifics, she had zero desire to entrust her life to Liu Dongshu. Especially considering he had been missing for over a week—who knew what kind of lethal conspiracies he was tangled up in behind the scenes?

She laid all her thoughts out bare for Pei Xiqing.

Pei Xiqing’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You are incredibly perceptive, Mengxiang. He was indeed completely unreliable.”

Ma Mengxiang’s face lit up with a mix of excitement and vindication. “Right?! Exactly! You felt it too! See, I knew it! He hasn’t shown his face in this valley for years, so there had to be something seriously wrong with him suddenly appearing out of nowhere! When he first arrived, I was so genuinely happy to see him because we had so much fun playing together when we were little. I never in a million years thought he would grow up to be that kind of manipulative scum!”

“He only detoured here to execute a military objective,” Pei Xiqing explained gently. “His high command dispatched him to this sector to locate high-tier crystal cores. However, his squad’s manpower was severely limited. They had to balance suppressing zombies while conducting grid searches. These mountains are treacherous and sprawling; if he didn’t exploit the locals who already knew the terrain, his unit would have easily gotten lost or ambushed. That is exactly why he returned to the village and set his sights on exploiting all of you.”

Ma Mengxiang clenched her fists, her expression twisting in fury. “What an absolute bastard! He was plotting against us the entire time! All those sick, elderly uncles and aunties literally dragged themselves out of bed, leaning on crutches, just because they heard he needed help searching the hills… I can’t believe he was just ruthlessly exploiting our kindness!”

Seeing her righteous anger, Pei Xiqing chose not to share the darkest part of the truth.

The most infuriating reality was that Liu Dongshu had absolutely no intention of escorting a single villager back to the base—not even his own biological father.

Shadow had previously intercepted and interrogated one of Liu Dongshu’s core operatives. The mercenary had confessed the captain’s entire operational blueprint. The squad only possessed three tactical transports. The exact moment they secured the crystal cores, their orders were to abandon the valley and drive off in the dead of night. If any desperate villagers realized they were being left behind and refused to give up, they would be forced to chase the vehicles on foot.

The distance from the valley to the base circuit was several hundred kilometers of hostile territory. For a group of frail, unequipped villagers to march that route on foot was a death sentence. They wouldn’t even know what kind of horrors awaited them. Even if they somehow managed to avoid being slaughtered by a horde, they would collapse and die of sheer exhaustion on the asphalt.

Exposing naive civilians—who had never even engaged a baseline zombie—to the raw brutality of the apocalypse was indistinguishable from executing them.

Ma Mengxiang let out a long breath, looking up. “If I don’t go with you now… is there any chance you’ll ever come back?”

“Yes.” Pei Xiqing was slightly taken aback by her phrasing, but gave a firm nod. “Once everything is settled at headquarters, Brother Duan and I will return—provided this sanctuary is still standing.”

Ma Mengxiang offered a sad, understanding smile. “Honestly, Miss Pei, you don’t need to apologize to me. It doesn’t matter whether you choose to stay or go. I fully understand that you and Brother Duan don’t truly belong here. You clearly hold massive responsibilities in the outside world. Ultimately, your real life is out there, not hidden away in this valley.”

“So, what is your decision?”

“I’m not going to the base. I’ll stay right here and wait for you,” Ma Mengxiang said, her voice steadying with resolve. “You said you’d come back, so I’ll hold down the fort. I’ll take care of the grandparents, patch up the roofs, and keep the village as safe as I can. Who knows? Maybe when you return, you won’t be alone. Maybe some of the other villagers will find their way back home, too.”

Pei Xiqing felt a sudden sting of tears blurring her vision. “Yes, Mengxiang. The chaos in the outside world will eventually pass, and the village will return to the peace it once knew.”

“Exactly!” Ma Mengxiang nodded vigorously. “Besides, it would be incredibly selfish of me to just pack up and leave on my own. There are still elders here who can’t travel. I absolutely refuse to abandon them to die.”

“I can arrange—”

Ma Mengxiang immediately held up her hands, cutting her off. “Don’t! Miss Pei, please don’t do that. We are all deeply, deeply grateful for your kindness. But we aren’t worth the immense burden we would place on you. The grandparents here genuinely don’t have the strength to survive a relocation. If we followed you out into the badlands, we would only drag you and Brother Duan down.”

For a moment, Pei Xiqing couldn’t tell whether Ma Mengxiang’s relentless cheerfulness and unwavering kindness brought her comfort or made her heart ache even more.

Ma Mengxiang flashed a bright grin, dismissing the heavy atmosphere. “Oh, stop it! Don’t look at me like that. Why are you always worrying about me? What exactly do you have to feel guilty about? Everyone has their own path to walk in this world. I still have a massive pile of firewood to chop, and you have an empire to run! It’s not like you can’t relate. Don’t waste your energy feeling sorry for me! Come on, I’ll help you finish packing your gear!”

She pivoted, pointing excitedly toward the backyard plot. “Look! There are still a ton of ripe vegetables out there that haven’t been harvested!”

Roughly ten meters from the porch lay their meticulously maintained garden plot. Duan Xiaolin had spent countless hours turning that soil, while she and Xiaobai usually lounged nearby, keeping him company.

No one would have ever guessed that the terrifying Chief Judge of Franlun possessed such an extraordinary talent for agriculture. You truly couldn’t tell by looking at him. This had been his very first attempt at farming, and he had supposedly picked up the techniques just by observing the local elders.

By the time Pei Xiqing snapped out of her reverie, Ma Mengxiang had already bounded off the porch, kicked off her shoes, and waded into the dirt to start harvesting the remaining crops.

Xiaobai trotted out of the house, happily squatting beside the girl in the dirt.

Sensing movement behind her, Pei Xiqing turned her head to see Duan Xiaolin approaching from the hallway. Just as she was about to stand up, his large hands clamped gently onto her shoulders, pressing her back down onto the step.

The sheer strength and blistering warmth radiating from his palms was irresistible. That single, grounding motion instantly anchored her racing thoughts.

“I’m going to assign Shadow to remain in the valley,” he stated smoothly.

Pei Xiqing looked up in profound surprise. “Brother Shadow is staying here? But what about the operational logistics back at headquarters?”

“Liu Dongshu’s squad failed to secure their objective in this sector,” Duan Xiaolin explained, his gaze sweeping over the valley. “I’ll have Shadow hold the perimeter and continue the grid search. Perhaps he will unearth something the mercenaries missed.”

“That makes perfect tactical sense,” Pei Xiqing nodded. “If Liu Dongshu was authorized to deploy a strike team specifically to this valley, he must have possessed classified intelligence pinpointing the crystal core’s trajectory. Still, he mobilized the entire village and turned up empty-handed. I imagine it won’t be an easy hunt, even for an operative like Brother Shadow.”

“It becomes exponentially easier when you already possess the precise operational coordinates.”

“Well, thank you for your hard work, Brother Shadow,” she murmured into the air, knowing the operative was likely listening from the rafters.

The man let out a low chuckle, effortlessly hauling her up from the steps into his arms. “He will likely find this assignment far more engaging than dealing with the bureaucracy at headquarters. Plus, he can monitor the village and provide tactical support if they encounter any issues.”

“Brother Shadow enjoys treasure hunting?”

“It aligns perfectly with his original operational specialty.”

Overwhelmed with a sudden rush of affection, Pei Xiqing threw her arms around his neck and planted a firm kiss on his cheek.

Duan Xiaolin’s lips curved into a wicked smirk. He shifted his grip, turning on his heel to carry her back into the dim hallway. “Not afraid of being seen this time?”

“Of course I’m not afraid.”

Chapter 218: Beauty and Skincare?

Pei Xiqing led Xiaobai into the car as a masked figure dropped down from above. Seeing her, he gave a slight, respectful nod.

“Thank you for your hard work, Shadow,” she said.

Shadow looked slightly taken aback. “You’re far too polite, Miss Pei.”

“We’ve been through life and death together in the dark. You need to be extremely careful out here too, Brother Shadow. Don’t rush the search for the crystal cores. If you do find one, handle it with absolute caution. Some of them can’t be touched with bare hands, and others contain overwhelming energy. If they aren’t stored properly, it could be incredibly dangerous.”

Shadow immediately pulled out a small notebook and jotted down her warnings. “Understood. I’ve committed it all to memory.”

Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but smile at his earnestness. “A good memory is never as reliable as a bad pen.”

“Exactly,” Shadow agreed. “Even Brother Duan still uses pen and paper for his confidential files. No matter how advanced technology gets with wireless file transfers, we can’t completely abandon the old, reliable methods.”

“Then I have a few more things to tell you. Make sure you write these down too.” Pei Xiqing proceeded to share several crucial details she still remembered from the original plot regarding the crystal cores.

Seeing that the car was ready to depart, she paused and gave him a final look. “Keep yourself safe, Brother Shadow.”

“I will.”

“Also, if Mengxiang and the others run into any trouble, remember to let me know.”

“I will take good care of the village,” Shadow promised. “You and Brother Duan can leave without any worries.”

“Miss Pei, please be careful at headquarters…” he added, his voice dropping into a serious whisper. “The people there are incredibly cunning.”

“Don’t worry, I’m mentally prepared,” Pei Xiqing replied. Otherwise, she never would have agreed to walk into that devil’s den so easily.

She waved goodbye to Shadow as Duan Xiaolin got into the car. He was holding a thick file folder in his hand. The driver up front was another Franlun operative, his face concealed by a tactical mask. The engine hummed to life, and the car pulled away smoothly.

Pei Xiqing and Duan Xiaolin sat in the back, while Xiaobai took up the entire front passenger seat.

Seeing him flip through the dense documents, she couldn’t help but lean closer. “Brother Duan.”

“Do you want to see?” he asked.

“I told you I wouldn’t pry into Franlun’s secrets,” Pei Xiqing said. “I just wanted to ask how long the drive will take.”

“Secrets?” The man chuckled softly by her ear, his voice laced with teasing affection. “Are we still pretending? Someone has already seen everything there is to see, yet she still uses that as an excuse?”

Pei Xiqing’s cheeks flushed crimson. “Just answer the question.”

The man smiled. “It will take three days at the fastest, or a week at the slowest. Headquarters isn’t exactly easy to locate. And even once we reach the perimeter, getting inside is a complicated process.”

“Then I’m going to sleep first.” She lay down, resting her head on his lap and pulling her hat over her face to block the light. “I’m exhausted from all that packing. Wake me up when we stop to rest.”

In a daze, she recalled the days when she was first wandering through the wilderness.

Back before she had even seen the gates of Base Three, she had traveled alongside Duan Xiaolin and Ling Lang’s squad. In those days, she had spent countless hours crammed into military transports, rushing from place to place over terrible, ruined roads. The violent, bumpy rides had constantly left her feeling nauseous.

This time, however, she didn’t feel uncomfortable in the slightest. She spent the entire journey either sleeping comfortably or eating and resting at waystations along the route.

It didn’t end up taking a week. In about four days, they reached the outskirts of Central Headquarters.

From a distance, she could see a towering city wall. It was majestic and seemingly endless, exuding an indescribable sense of mystery and power. Yet, this formidable wall wasn’t even the main headquarters. Duan Xiaolin explained that it was merely the outermost line of defense.

Near this defensive perimeter, numerous restaurants and stalls had openly set up shop along the roadside. It felt somewhat similar to the black market where the beautiful boss lady had run her inn, but on a much larger scale. Back then, there had only been a handful of establishments. This place, however, was bustling like a small county town. As soon as they entered the area, they were greeted by rows of small shops offering food, drink, lodging, and transportation, alongside simple weapon smiths. Several scavengers could be seen gathered around, examining blades and firearms.

The car pulled up in front of a busy restaurant. The decor was simple, but the interior was spacious and brightly lit, with several tables already occupied by diners.

Pei Xiqing stepped out of the car first. Since it was a bit chilly outside, Duan Xiaolin told her to head inside and order food while he handled the vehicle. Pulling her coat tighter around herself, she pushed aside the heavy curtain and walked in.

A rustic fire burned in the center of the restaurant, where a cook was actively roasting meat. The place was fairly crowded, with around twenty patrons scattered across the ground floor, and another dozen or so occupying the second-level seating.

At a glance, nine out of ten people here were ability users; only a tiny fraction were ordinary humans. Superpowers often manifested as a distinct aura—a subtle emanation of spirit, energy, and vitality. A discerning eye could easily tell whether someone possessed an ability without needing any formal tests. Not noticing Duan Xiaolin’s hidden depths back then had simply been a rare exception.

She found an empty table near the fire and sat down. A moment later, a waiter hurried over, wiping his hands on his apron with a welcoming smile. He handed her a black menu board. “What would you like to eat, Miss?”

He couldn’t help but steal a few extra glances at Pei Xiqing’s striking appearance before excitedly launching into his pitch. “A lot of our items here are local specialties! Are you dining alone, Miss?”

“There are three of us.”

“Oh, wonderful! Then allow me to recommend some of our absolute best signature dishes.”

“Alright, go ahead.”

“We have our famous stir-fried insect eggs! And our spicy marrow bones, steamed snake heads, and right here…”

The longer Pei Xiqing listened, the more she felt something was terribly wrong. Interrupting him, she asked cautiously, “What exactly are the ingredients in these dishes?”

The waiter gestured mysteriously toward a neighboring table. “Those are the raw ingredients right there. Take a good look, Miss—the taste is absolutely out of this world!”

Pei Xiqing followed his finger. Sitting on a platter at the next table were massive, cooked tentacles thicker than a human arm, alongside mutated snake heads the size of fists.

She massaged her temples, feeling a headache coming on. “Is everyone really eating this stuff lately?”

“That’s right! With so many parasites popping up, as long as you kill them thoroughly, they’re perfectly fine to serve. And honestly, the taste isn’t bad at all. Regular food is scarce and completely monopolized by the inner base, so we have to make do with local ingredients. Parasites aren’t like zombies; they’re mostly just mutated animals anyway, so the meat is actually quite savory.”

Pei Xiqing shook her head firmly. “No, thank you. Just bring us some vegetarian dishes, and if you have any normal meat, we’ll take that. Absolutely no parasite meat.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to try it?” the waiter pressed, looking genuinely disappointed. “It’s incredibly popular right now! Especially the snake heads—they taste amazing, and people say they can even prolong your life and do wonders for your skin! Everyone is eating them these days, from the wasteland scavengers right up to the elites inside the base!”

Chapter 219: Lie to Me 

Pei Xiqing raised an eyebrow slightly. “Is it really that magical?”

“Absolutely guaranteed!” the waiter boasted, rubbing his hands together.

“How about bringing us a plate so we can try it?”

“Right away!”

Pei Xiqing thought of something and added, “We’ll also need some normal beef and two large bowls of rice.”

“No problem on the rice, we’ve got plenty. But Miss, the price of normal beef is a bit…” The waiter looked embarrassed. “You know how it is. Local shops don’t have a reliable supplier for that kind of meat. Only the base headquarters over on the island can afford that kind of luxury.”

“That’s fine,” Pei Xiqing said.

When she handed him a crystal core as payment, the waiter’s eyes practically bulged out of his head. “Yes, yes, of course! I’ll get that arranged for you immediately!”

Pei Xiqing probed further. “Price isn’t an issue. But what did you mean about the island…?”

The waiter instantly fell silent, his expression turning deathly serious. “Hey now, that’s not something you should be asking about. I’ve already said too much. Please, Miss, drop it.”

“Wait a minute…” Before Pei Xiqing could even finish, the waiter scurried away.

She sighed and turned around. It felt like everyone nearby was staring at her. Fortunately, Duan Xiaolin chose that moment to step in from outside.

The man casually slipped off his suit jacket and draped it over the back of a chair before sitting down next to her.

“Why didn’t you head up to the private room on the second floor?” he asked. He seemed to have just finished dealing with his tedious files. Having been confined to the car for the past few days, his glasses sat slightly askew, and his tie was loosened, giving him a lazy, casual air. As his sharp eyes locked onto her, he immediately noticed her lingering unease. “What’s wrong?”

Pei Xiqing leaned closer and whispered, “Everyone here is eating parasite flesh—tentacles, limbs, everything… Did you know about this?”

Duan Xiaolin chuckled.

Above his loosened black tie, the man’s Adam’s apple bobbed. His usual sternness had melted away, replaced by a faint, sexy smile playing at the corners of his lips. “I know.”

“Is it actually edible?”

“If you have the stomach for it, you can eat it.”

Pei Xiqing frowned. “But you can’t really eat a lot of it, right?”

Duan Xiaolin reached out to gently brush a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “Eating too much will cause side effects.”

“How do you know?”

He had been living in the isolated village with her every single day. He hadn’t stepped foot outside the valley. How could he know so much? He even knew the exact side effects of consuming these specific parasites. Was this the true reach of Franlun’s intelligence network?

Before she could ask, the waiter hurried back over with their food.

Two large plates piled high with thick chunks of meat and bone-in tentacles were set on the table. The smell was overwhelmingly fishy, and the meat was a dark, unappetizing color.

Pei Xiqing immediately covered her nose and mouth.

Duan Xiaolin, however, didn’t seem to mind at all. He casually picked up his chopsticks and reached for a piece.

Pei Xiqing quickly grabbed his hand to stop him. “Don’t eat it! Didn’t you just say it has side effects?”

“You can eat whatever you like,” Duan Xiaolin said smoothly.

“Stop messing around.” Pei Xiqing held tightly to his chopsticks. “I only ordered it so we could see what they were serving. Who told you to actually eat it?”

He drawled slowly, “Alright. Do you need me to help you inspect it, then?”

Pei Xiqing shot him a look, picked up a piece of bone with her own chopsticks, and stared at the distinct markings on it. “It really is the corpse of a parasite. Do they seriously think this tastes delicious?”

It did closely resemble the Hydra they had seen, though the scale was several times smaller.

“Want to try?”

Duan Xiaolin smoothly plucked the chopsticks from her hand and took a bite himself.

Pei Xiqing was too late to stop him. She could only watch in horror as he chewed the meat, waiting nervously for his reaction.

The man took his time before speaking.

She tugged anxiously at his sleeve. “Well? How is it?”

“Not bad,” he replied calmly. “Are you sure you don’t want a taste?”

Pei Xiqing still felt a wave of nausea and shook her head vehemently. “Forget it…”

She watched him take another bite, skillfully peeling away the parasite’s tough shell like a crab to dig out the tender meat inside. She couldn’t help but ask again, “Is it genuinely edible?”

“In small quantities, you’ll be fine.”

“Really?”

The man nodded.

“What does it taste like?”

“It’s relatively fresh.”

Pei Xiqing hesitated, holding her chopsticks suspended for a few seconds before finally deciding to trust him.

Steeling herself, she picked up a piece of the meat he had set aside and popped it into her mouth. Instantly, an overpowering, rancid fishy stench shot straight up her nose and into her brain.

The smell alone was enough to make her gag. Barely a few seconds passed before she spat it straight into the nearby trash can, coughing violently.

Duan Xiaolin poured her a glass of water, a teasing glint in his eyes. “How was it?”

Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but punch his shoulder.

“You lied to me! I hate you!”

It was absolutely, undeniably disgusting!

Duan Xiaolin chuckled softly. He pulled out a clean handkerchief and gently wiped the corners of her mouth, his gaze suddenly growing profound and complex. “Over the past five years, humanity has survived largely on pre-apocalyptic stockpiles and the resources funneled through the newly established bases. Unless absolutely desperate, no one would willingly eat this garbage. However… that reality might change very soon.”

Pei Xiqing looked up. “Brother Duan, you mean…”

“A day will come when even this food runs out. When people are truly starving, no one will care whether the meat is infected with a virus.”

Pei Xiqing’s expression turned somber.

Right now, survivors outside the base had already been reduced to eating parasite corpses. If a day came when even these grotesque remains were scarce… what kind of hellish doomsday would that be?

In the end, Duan Xiaolin didn’t let her eat any more of it, pushing the two plates of parasite meat to the far edge of the table.

Pei Xiqing took a bowl of warm, delicate goat milk instead. After taking a comforting sip, she asked, “Where is Shadow?”

Duan Xiaolin adjusted his glasses. “I sent him to scout the perimeter. There’s no need to wait for him.”

“Alright. We’ll leave his portion here and have them pack it up to go later.”

“Fine.”

After dinner, she took a casual stroll around the area. She noticed that despite being so close to the base headquarters, absolutely no one dared to approach the towering city wall. Furthermore, anytime the words “island” or “seaside” were mentioned, the locals instantly fell silent in fear.

It was merely a rest stop, and she could walk from one end to the other in a matter of minutes. Bored, Pei Xiqing eventually made her way back to the car.

Duan Xiaolin hadn’t restricted her movements. This area was adjacent to headquarters; it boasted strategic terrain and intersected several major transportation routes. It was highly accessible and directly linked to the inner base. She guessed it was firmly under Franlun’s control, with heavy screening for anyone coming and going, so she wasn’t in any real danger.

However, their sleek vehicle parked on the side of the street—while seemingly low-key—was a model exclusively reserved for high-ranking headquarters personnel. Sitting there so quietly, it was bound to attract attention from anyone who stared long enough.

Duan Xiaolin was currently in a private room on the second floor of the restaurant. Shadow had just returned and seemed to have an urgent report to deliver.

With nothing else to do, Pei Xiqing sat lazily under a small pavilion near the car. Right behind her was the blacksmith shop. Inside, five or six burly, bare-armed men were huddled together, intently examining a military-grade rifle.

Although the temperature had dropped recently, it was still manageable as long as one wore enough layers to keep from freezing. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, but the sudden chill made her sneeze.

The sound instantly drew the attention of the men inside.

“Who’s eavesdropping out there?!” one of them barked sharply.

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