What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms

Chapter 229: You Are Getting Better and Better

Pei Xiqing caught a rare trace of helplessness in his words. She reached out, hooking her finger beneath his chin to tilt his face closer. “Are you afraid of yourself, or of this place?” she asked softly. “I think I hear an underlying theme to your question… Do you blame me for coming?”

“No.”

The man smoothly stripped away her wet garments.

Clasping her slender waist, his dark green eyes looked as deep and inscrutable as the ocean floor—as if no matter how many tempests raged on the surface, he would forever remain flawlessly calm and immovable. “Now that we have officially breached the perimeter, there is no turning back.”

“When you openly demanded every single crystal core in front of the entire high command, did the concept of retreat ever cross your mind?”

He let out a low chuckle. Although his original strategy had been to insulate Pei Xiqing from the political fallout, she had stubbornly marched into the theater anyway.

“Never.”

“Then do not ask me such redundant questions again.”

Pei Xiqing scooped up a palmful of thermal water, playfully splashing it against his chest. But the man instantly caught her wrist, applying a firm, sudden pull that caused her to lose her footing and tumble directly against him.

Duan Xiaolin cupped her face, turning it side to side to study her features intently in the rising steam.

Pei Xiqing blinked. “What exactly are you looking at?”

“You are getting better and better,” he murmured.

Pei Xiqing’s face was already flushed crimson, thoroughly intoxicated by the intense heat of the marine spring. Hearing his remark, she playfully dragged his large hand down from her cheek. “And you are becoming more and more disobedient.”

Duan Xiaolin arched an eyebrow slightly. “I am disobedient?”

Pei Xiqing tapped her fingers against his lips. “You obsessively conceal your variables, forcing everyone to guess your trajectory. And your execution style regarding the crystal cores is far too abrasive. Could you not have simply approached those commanders privately to negotiate a transfer? Instead, you callously chose to alienate the entire council. How do you intend to navigate the high command in the future?”

“Negotiate privately?” He appeared to genuinely weigh the logistics of her suggestion before asking, “And what if their immediate reflex is to deny the request?”

“If they refuse a diplomatic approach, you simply transition from courtesy to raw force. Those officials are hoarding the cores in their private vaults anyway; they would never dare expose their corruption by complaining in a public tribunal. What harm is there in systematically robbing them?”

A genuine look of amusement danced in his eyes. “It appears my darling is infinitely more ruthless than I am.”

“What makes you say that?” She tilted her head up, entirely confused by his assessment.

“If I actually executed your strategic blueprint, there wouldn’t be a single official left breathing inside this capital.”

“What exactly do you mean by—ah?!” Before Pei Xiqing could extract a logical explanation from the man, her question was cut short. Her vision blurred as she was suddenly dragged beneath the surface of the thermal pool.

The steaming water convulsed violently, ripples fracturing across the surface under the weight of the man’s absolute control.

The night stretched endlessly ahead of them. Inside the enclosed perimeter, the thermal spring burned with a scalding, heavy heat, completely insulated from the sudden, sharp drop in the temperature of the outside biosphere.

Meanwhile, across the complex, Marshal Fu Yan sat rigidly at his executive desk. Staring blankly at the pulsing blue crystal core resting in his palm, he remained awake through the entire night, unable to close his eyes for even a single second.

Pei Xiqing was shaken awake the following morning by the sharp, rhythmic blare of a military bugle and the muffled drone of an PA system outside.

Rubbing the sleep haze from her eyes, she crawled out from beneath the heavy duvet. The exact second her fingers brushed against the phone resting beside her pillow, a thunderous tremor vibrated through the floorboards. It sounded like an elite vanguard division running directly past the front of the residence in flawless synchronization, their booming cadence chanting morning training slogans.

She had briefly forgotten that this location was entirely distinct from their isolated valley, and bore no resemblance to the primitive quarters of Base Three where high-ranking officials were segregated into civilian sectors. This was a high-security residential block constructed in immediate proximity to the Supreme Military Headquarters.

She had only parsed the geographical metrics last night upon returning from the open-air springs: this sector was exclusively reserved for high-ranking Franlun officials and their immediate dependents. The perimeter was heavily reinforced with fortified barbed wire, and the primary military barracks loomed a mere handful of paces away.

The external architecture of the headquarters appeared remarkably dated, but the internal automated infrastructure of the house was a triumph of high-tech engineering. She had previously read that this floating metropolis had originally been nothing more than a deserted, jagged island. The early infrastructure had been remarkably primitive, but because systematically detonating the historical concrete blocks would destabilize the island’s tectonic foundation, the high command had chosen to preserve the outer structures. They reinforced and modernized the existing frames, utilizing the opposing coast to build their sweeping cyberpunk skyscrapers and advanced research laboratories.

If one had to pinpoint the absolute crucible of human authority, it was right here. It appeared deceptive and ordinary on the surface, but its true depth was staggering.

Pei Xiqing stretched her aching limbs and slid out of bed. She boiled a fresh batch of eggs, systematically peeling seven or eight to supplement Xiaobai’s morning rations before consuming two herself. Just as she settled at the dining table, a crisp, familiar knock rattled the door.

Long Yan stepped inside, her eyes immediately locking onto the sight of Pei Xiqing and the massive pup mindlessly parsing boiled eggs. She rushed forward, grabbing her arm to pull her up from the chair. “What on earth are you doing hiding in this kitchen eating boiled eggs? Let’s head straight to the headquarters executive hall for breakfast. Their culinary sector serves an incredible spread—they have every type of fresh deep-sea delicacy you could possibly desire.”

Pei Xiqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “I had no idea that sector was accessible. If I had known, I would have taken Xiaobai out hours ago.”

“You are cleared for entry, but Xiaobai must remain grounded,” Long Yan corrected quickly.

“Why?”

“Look at his physical dimensions! What other domestic canine in this wasteland boasts a skeletal frame of that scale? It’s an absolute miracle the border guards even authorized his transit into the inner sector. If you parade him through the crowded plazas, you’ll frighten the administrative staff to death. They’ll assume a tier-one parasite has successfully breached our internal defenses.”

“Hahaha,” Pei Xiqing laughed brightly, reaching down to pat the pup’s broad head. “Brother Duan mentioned last night that he intends to officially transfer him to the frontline vanguard so Ling Lang can oversee his advanced tactical conditioning.”

Long Yan blinked. “Enlisting him in the military canine unit? That’s certainly a viable route, though I can guarantee the standard German Shepherds in the pens aren’t even half his size.”

“It’s fine, he doesn’t harbor baseline aggression toward humans. As long as he restrains himself from snapping a parasite’s primary neck cluster in a single bite, no administrative incidents should manifest. Brother Duan has already filed the formal requisition forms.” Pei Xiqing scratched Xiaobai behind the ears. “It seems he officially possesses a military registration serial number now.”

“That simplifies the logistics,” Long Yan noted, checking her tactical watch. “The exact second you and Brother Duan walked out of that tribunal last night, my division was swamped with cleanup operations, so I didn’t have a single hour to check on your status. Come along, let’s proceed to the executive dining hall immediately.”

“Alright.” Pei Xiqing rose from the table. “Xiaobai, guard the house. I’ll make sure to pack some prime marrow bones from the kitchen for you.”

Before stepping past the threshold, Pei Xiqing moved to change her clothes. The exact second she entered a high-density base environment, her survival instincts automatically dictated a highly specific wardrobe protocol.

She methodically equipped her signature three-piece field suit: a heavy, structured tactical jacket, a wide-brimmed hat, and streamlined trousers. Not a single layer could be omitted. By the time she adjusted her collar, her features were entirely obscured, leaving nothing but her calm, calculating eyes exposed to the world.

Chapter 230: The Trick

Long Yan was long accustomed to this routine. Her own combat uniform was zipped up even tighter than Pei Xiqing’s.

Still, she couldn’t help but sigh wistfully. “I still prefer the dress you wore back at the black market. You looked absolutely stunning in it. Standing next to Brother Duan, the two of you were a real feast for the eyes.”

Pei Xiqing had nearly forgotten about that particular dress, but Long Yan’s reminder brought back a wave of nostalgia. That was probably the only time she had worn a skirt since leaving the village.

There was really no other choice now. In the other bases, survivors had to bundle up in layers, and headquarters was no exception. Out here, less was always more, and she preferred to keep a low profile.

Beyond the practicality of her wardrobe, there was a far more critical reason for her caution. She couldn’t remember if she had crossed paths or tangled with anyone from headquarters in the past, so she had to walk on eggshells everywhere she went.

Moreover, while Duan Xiaolin had feigned indifference and acted completely unbothered at first, she knew better than anyone that the man was incredibly petty—his grace period was smaller than a sesame seed. On the surface, he always treated her with a gentle, patient tolerance, but the exact second they were behind closed doors and touched the mattress, his entire demeanor would flip. Whether it was a calculated punishment or a quiet warning, just thinking about his intensity left her flushed and weak in the knees.

Long Yan led the way out of the residential block, stepping onto the grand avenue ahead. Both sides of the thoroughfare were incredibly vibrant, packed with cutting-edge futuristic technology. It was easily ten times more prosperous than any survivor base or ruined city Pei Xiqing had ever seen.

Yet, walking amidst the bustling splendor, she couldn’t summon any real happiness.

Long Yan guided her toward a pristine high-rise, entering the lobby and taking the elevator to the upper levels. “This is the premier establishment in the center of headquarters,” Long Yan introduced as the car climbed. “I brought you here today to set up an executive membership card. If my duties keep me deployed in the future, you can come back by yourself. Just swipe the card, and you can order whatever you like.”

“Alright.”

The elevator ground to a smooth halt at the 30th floor. As the doors slid open, despite her mental preparation, the sheer opulence and golden splendor greeting her eyes made her heart flutter. Radiant light bounced off every polished surface, making it difficult to even look directly at the room.

Pei Xiqing let out a helpless smile. “Do people truly dine here on a regular basis?”

Long Yan shrugged. “What do you think? Only the highest tier of the executive directorate can clear the entry requirements.”

“The baseline entry fee is ten high-tier crystal cores; an ordinary citizen couldn’t afford a single dish.” As she spoke, Long Yan strode over to the marble reception counter. After whispering a few words to the attendant, a sleek electronic card was immediately handed over.

Long Yan claimed the card and pulled her deeper into the dining room. Noticing that Pei Xiqing was still scanning the lavish hall, she murmured, “Since you’ve chosen to step onto this board, you’ll have to acclimate to the luxury sooner or later. The indulgence inside this capital completely eclipses the outer bases. In terms of engineering human comfort, the high command has spared no expense.”

“That’s glaringly obvious,” Pei Xiqing agreed as they stepped into an exquisitely decorated private suite. The handrails and plush carpets were spotlessly clean. Hanging directly from the center of the ceiling was a massive crystal chandelier that cast a dazzling, iridescent glow across the room. “But compared to that modest bungalow back in the residential square, this place feels like an entirely different dimension. I’m still a bit uncomfortable with the scale of it.”

“The residential units over there can’t be structurally altered from the outside, but the internal automated frameworks are practically identical to this suite,” Long Yan reassured her. “The comfort levels won’t disappoint you.”

“True.”

Long Yan tapped the electronic interface on the table, initializing the automated ordering menu. Pei Xiqing idly selected a few baseline dishes and explicitly requested a heavy portion of marrow bones to be packaged for takeaway.

Long Yan dined with her efficiently, as her division had operations to oversee in the afternoon. Before departing, she offered a parting caution. “The penal codes and regulatory boundaries inside headquarters are exceptionally rigid. If you encounter any administrative friction, immediately seek out Brother Duan. If he’s locked in a tribunal, come find me or Ling Lang. We’re fully equipped to clear your path, so don’t worry about causing a hassle.”

“Thank you, Sister Long Yan.”

“The hour is getting late.” Long Yan rose from her chair, checking her weapons and reassembling her sidearm with practiced ease. “I must head out. I’ve deployed two of my junior operatives to escort you back. Feel free to explore the surrounding commercial sectors at your leisure; you might stumble onto a sudden novelty.”

Pei Xiqing blinked. “What kind of novelty?”

“Analyze the grid yourself. This capital hides an immense number of mysteries.”

Pei Xiqing offered a warm smile. “Keep your wits about you out there, and stay safe on the road.”

“Don’t worry.”

The exact second Long Yan vanished past the threshold, Pei Xiqing finished the remaining items on her plate. Just as she was preparing to claim the takeaway container for Xiaobai, her eyes locked onto a sleek tactical dagger resting on the far edge of the table—left behind by Long Yan.

She picked up the blade, a sudden wave of familiarity striking her. She had rushed out of the house in such a hurry this morning, her mind entirely consumed by the volatile politics of last night’s tribunal, that she hadn’t yet found the opportunity to distribute the custom weapons Hui Hua had forged for her. How on earth did Long Yan already possess a dagger of the exact same craftsmanship and styling?

Pei Xiqing fell into a tense silence for a few seconds. Shifting the mystery aside, she secured the dagger, gathered the takeaway box, and stepped out of the private suite.

Two young operatives clad in immaculate military uniforms were standing rigidly outside the door. Though they looked quite young, their postures were perfectly straight, their expressions deadly serious.

The moment they processed her exit, they barked in unison, “Where is your next destination, Miss Pei? If you desire to return to the compound, our unit will escort you immediately!”

Pei Xiqing offered a polite, softening smile. “I’d like to stretch my legs and explore the commercial tracks for a bit. I should be heading back shortly.”

“Understood!”

The response boomed through the corridor as if they were executing a high-priority battlefield command. The sheer volume of their voices echoed violently off the walls, immediately alarming the patrons in the adjacent suites.

Several doors clicked open, and curious faces poked out into the hall. “What’s the commotion…? What’s happening?!”

Pei Xiqing let out an embarrassed cough. “Nothing to worry about.”

The nearby floor manager quickly stepped forward, bowing frantically. “Deepest apologies for the disturbance, honored guests!”

Pei Xiqing cast a sharp look at the two rigid guards flanking her. “What are your names?”

“Operative Wang Jiu, reporting!”

“Operative Yutian, reporting!”

“Alright,” she smiled gently, gesturing for them to relax. “Lower your volume a fraction. We aren’t standing on a military parade ground.”

“Ah… oh, understood, ma’am. Apologies, the conditioning is hard-wired.”

Pei Xiqing studied their sharp features, a sudden realization striking her. “You two belong to Ling Lang’s personal vanguard division, don’t you?”

Both operatives went entirely rigid, their eyes widening. It took them a long, drawn-out moment to find their voices, their speech suddenly stumbling. “We… we are… that is to say… no, ma’am, we aren’t…”

Pei Xiqing simply offered a quiet, knowing smile.

Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen Ling Lang since their time in the wilderness. She had no clear metrics regarding his current operational duties inside the capital. However, tracing back the political data Duan Xiaolin had shared with her out in the wild, at this precise point in the timeline, Ling Lang should have successfully seized absolute command over the core garrison forces, ascending as the alliance’s youngest Major General.

She descended the elevator to the ground level, the two guards tracking her footsteps like twin shadows. The exact second she stepped out onto the primary commercial avenue, she was instinctively drawn to the sprawling luxury displays flanking the tracks.

Back when she was a prominent celebrity in the old world, she had operated as a high-traffic media star, securing countless premium brand endorsements. She hadn’t expected to find those exact luxury artifacts preserved and displayed inside the heart of this post-apocalyptic capital. Analyzing the intricate designs and the premium quality of the materials through the reinforced glass windows, it was glaringly obvious that these items commanded an astronomical price tag.

Yet, in her current reality, she harbored absolutely no desire for material decadence. She granted the window a single, passing glance, turning on her heel to clear the sector.

But the clerk standing inside the boutique had already processed her presence with predatory speed. Lunging across the threshold, his fingers clamped tightly onto the fabric of her tactical sleeve. “Honored citizen… do you desire to execute a purchase?”

Pei Xiqing firmly shook her head, trying to disengage her arm. “No, thank you.”

“Execute a purchase. Buy it.”

The clerk’s complexion was a sickening, pasty gray, his sunken eyes framed by dark, heavy bags that looked as though they were violently dragging his skin down to his jawline. His lips twitched mechanically as he repeated the phrase. “Buy it… buy it… buy it…”

“I implore you, execute a transaction… just buy one item…”

Pei Xiqing’s brow furrowed tightly, a sudden wave of unease hitting her chest.

Operatives Yutian and Wang Jiu immediately surged forward, their heavy hands callously ripping the clerk’s fingers away from her sleeve and shoving him back.

Pei Xiqing looked over her shoulder as she stepped away. The clerk had already collapsed heavily onto his knees in the dirt, his forehead hammering relentlessly against the pavement. His frantic, mindless self-flagellation and blank facial muscles were the exact mirror image of the terrified researcher who had collided with her the night before.

As she advanced a few paces down the thoroughfare, she began to meticulously study the features of the surrounding citizens. With every step, the underlying horror of the capital rendered itself increasingly transparent.

Virtually every single pedestrian was entirely devoid of human expression. They moved like programmed automatons, completely incapable of executing baseline social interactions with one another.

Sensing the disruption caused by her guards, the surrounding crowds slowly, uniformly ground to a halt. Their heads pivoted toward her in absolute synchronization, a sickening, sharp crack echoing through the avenue as their rigid vertebrae rubbed violently against one another.

Pei Xiqing instinctively took a sharp step back, her breath hitching.

Yutian and Wang Jiu instantly locked shields in front of her frame, their massive bodies completely cutting off the sea of vacant, malicious, and pitch-black stares drilling into her position.

She let out a long, ragged breath, her heart hammering against her ribs. She hadn’t anticipated that the nightmarish conditioning she observed in the administrative block last night was a uniform baseline across the entire metropolis. This sector was truly… a place that left one’s spine completely frozen with dread.

This metropolis didn’t resemble a human civilization at all. It felt like a gargantuan, simulated framework, and these citizens were merely hollow androids bound to a rigid, unyielding source code.

The moment that realization settled into her mind, the entire futuristic splendor of the capital transformed into a theater of psychological horror. She took a deep breath, sharply pivoting on her heel to retreat back through the secure corridor.

Wang Jiu and Yutian tracked her movements flawlessly, their eyes aggressively scanning the architecture as they drove away any programmed citizen who drifted too close to her perimeter.

“Is the entire population of this headquarters trapped in this state?” she asked, her voice dropping into a tense whisper.

Yutian offered a slow nod. “Yes, ma’am. These entities have operated on this exact frequency ever since our division garrisoned the sector.”

“We’ve spent the last two years conditioning ourselves to accept it,” Wang Jiu added quietly. “But when our unit initially arrived, navigating these streets felt identical to wandering through a graveyard in broad daylight. Their baseline behavior defies human logic. No matter what parameters you present to them, they remain entirely unresponsive, endlessly looping the exact same pre-coded phrases.”

Pei Xiqing stared straight ahead, her voice tight. “If this isn’t the work of phantoms or ancient gods, then it is the direct consequence of a catastrophic psychological intervention engineered by the high command.”

This explained the dark reality of how so many living citizens had been reduced to a status far worse than the undead variants trapped inside the iron cages of Base Three. They were the true living dead.

Chapter 231: Unspeakable Secret

Pei Xiqing returned to the residential block.

From her guards, she learned that this specific enclave was officially designated as the Old District, while the hyper-prosperous cyberpunk sector ahead was known as the New District.

The exact second she unlocked the front door, Xiaobai rushed out in a frantic blur of excitement. She immediately fed the pup the heavy marrow bones and meat she had packaged from the restaurant. Turning back toward the threshold, she noticed Yutian and Wang Jiu preparing to close the door and take their post outside.

She quickly called out to them, “What exactly is Ling Lang’s current official title? Where is his division stationed?”

Yutian stopped, offering a crisp response. “Major General Ling Lang currently commands all core military conditioning and garrison deployments. His office is stationed directly inside the primary Central Headquarters military base.”

“And what about Qiu Chao?”

The two young operatives blinked blankly, looking at each other. “Who exactly… is Qiu Chao?”

Pei Xiqing’s lips parted slightly in realization. It appeared that even within the core ranks of the garrison, virtually no one was cleared to know the true identities operating within Franlun.

“Thank you,” she murmured gently. “Hold on a moment.”

She hurried back into the house, retrieving the two pristine military sabers that Hui Hua had forged all through the night. Handing them over to the guards, she instructed, “Please deliver these weapons straight to Ling Lang. One is explicitly meant for him, and the exact second he examines the secondary blade, he will know precisely who needs to receive it.”

“Understood!”

Once the guards departed, Pei Xiqing spent a few minutes playing with Xiaobai before retreating to her bedroom. Sitting at her desk, she pulled out the entire cache of radiant crystal cores that Duan Xiaolin had transferred to her custody over the past few days.

Following the explosive display inside the executive tribunal last night, several compromised officials had proactively broken formation, surrendering their private hoards to appease the Chief Judge. Yet, a massive density of these artifacts undoubtedly remained buried deep within the personal vaults of the military factions—and she suspected even the Commander-in-Chief himself lacked the precise metrics to trace them.

Systematically harvesting every single core on this board was going to be an monumental task.

Equipping a pair of clean gloves, she picked up a few of the pulsing artifacts, turning them beneath the lamplight to analyze their internal structures. They were truly worthy of being the ultimate plot armor engineered for the novel’s original protagonist. A single specimen contained enough raw energy to manufacture an indestructible, god-tier mechanized exoskeleton. No wonder Xiao Yue had managed to deal such crushing strategic blows to both Brother Duan and Ling Lang back at the borders of Base Three.

These items were ultra-rare variables, and allowing even a single core to remain scattered across the wasteland would be a catastrophic waste of leverage.

As she organized the cache, her thoughts drifted back to the security situation in Shadow’s village. She wanted to establish a secure comms link with his unit to verify if the custom daggers meant for Ma Mengxiang had successfully cleared transit. But before she could move, a wave of agonizing, blood-curdling screams violently shattered the silence outside.

The Old District residential block was simply too close to the absolute center of human command. While a fortified barbed wire fence separated the two grids, it did absolutely nothing to dampen acoustics. Any high-volume disturbance detonated within the central courtyard vibrated clearly through her walls.

Pei Xiqing stepped onto the balcony, her eyes tracking the horizon. Peering through the dense layers of iron mesh, she could vaguely make out a massive assembly of personnel gathered in the open plaza just ahead.

It appeared a low-tier worker had committed an administrative infraction and was currently enduring a brutal correction. The enforcers were utilizing a cold, mechanical scanning instrument to audit each citizen one by one, before methodically administering agonizing lashings and high-voltage electrical shocks to the non-compliant.

Standing at this distance, the figures blurred together, but the sight reinforced her realization: every citizen trapped within this capital had been systematically converted into a hollow robot. It was the direct, terrifying consequence of being ‘tamed’ by those heartless machines over an extended timeline.

This gargantuan metropolis—the supreme headquarters designed to lead all human survival—did not require such barbaric psychological conditioning to inspire labor. The reality was transparent: this base had long since rotted completely to the core.

It perfectly aligned with her darkest expectations.

Refusing to trigger an administrative incident that would drain Duan Xiaolin’s focus, Pei Xiqing systematically grounded herself, remaining entirely out of sight for three consecutive days following her arrival. Aside from the rare evening hours when the man would return to escort her and Xiaobai for a quiet stroll along the perimeter, she spent her time peacefully inside the house.

Duan Xiaolin’s ongoing friction with the directorate seemed to drag on without a clean resolution. Following the confrontation inside the tribunal, the man simply maintained his brutal operational pace, processing a massive density of Franlun intelligence reports every single day. As for the captive progenitor parasite resting in Sublevel Seven, he deliberately chose not to interfere with its containment grid.

The silent war of nerves stretched out until a formal envoy arrived at her doorstep. The Commander-in-Chief’s personal adjutant stood in her hallway, bowing with absolute reverence as he presented a formal invitation. Only then did she realize that Duan Xiaolin had successfully won the silent psychological battle.

Duan Xiaolin had briefed her ahead of time, noting that the high command would eventually attempt to approach her directly. He had told her there was no need for anxiety; if she desired to observe their play, she was entirely free to go, and if she chose to decline, the directorate possessed zero leverage to compel her compliance.

Pei Xiqing had zero intention of letting such an exceptional intelligence-gathering opportunity slip through her fingers. She offered a polite nod to the adjutant and followed him straight to the Supreme Headquarters building.

The fortress was heavily fortified, every corridor bristling with automated defense arrays. Even the seemingly harmless ornamental flora lining the paved paths concealed lethal counter-measures.

She was smoothly escorted deep into the interior. They ascended to the executive level, rounded a heavily guarded corridor, and advanced toward a massive pair of double doors at the end of the hall.

“Miss Pei, the Marshal is waiting inside,” the adjutant murmured respectfully, stepping back. “Please simply knock before entering.”

“Thank you.”

Pei Xiqing stepped forward, rapping her knuckles against the polished wood.

“Enter,” a calm, resonant voice directed from within.

She gently pushed the door open. Fu Yan was seated at his sprawling executive desk, a pair of reading glasses perched on his nose, his graying hair meticulously combed back. Compared to the ragged fatigue he had displayed during their first encounter, his current aura was significantly more vibrant and focused.

“Good morning, Marshal.”

“Welcome, Miss Pei.” Fu Yan rose from his high back chair, executing a polite, brief handshake before immediately signaling his attendant. “Quickly, brew a fresh pot. Utilize the premium cache of Longjing tea from my private vault.”

Moments later, a delicate porcelain tea service was set before them. Pei Xiqing didn’t immediately reach for her cup. Accepting Fu Yan’s diplomatic gesture, she walked out with him to the elegant conference table situated on the sweeping balcony.

Fu Yan took a measured sip of his tea, closing his eyes for a brief moment as if entirely mapping the rich flavor profile of the leaves. After a long silence, his sharp eyes opened, locking onto her frame. “Tell me, Miss Pei… which specific city did you inhabit prior to the initial detonation?”

“I honestly cannot recall a single definitive baseline,” she replied smoothly, her expression neutral. “I moved across too many sectors to ever anchor myself. I never truly possessed a home; I simply migrated wherever an operational contract manifested.”

“Is that so…?” Fu Yan drawled, swirling his tea. “Yet, my intelligence logs indicate that Miss Pei originally possessed a biological father and a structured family unit. If my files are accurate, you also share a genetic lineage with a younger sister.”

Pei Xiqing offered a slight, thin smile. “Can a physical residence entirely devoid of human empathy truly be classified as a home, Marshal?”

“A valid philosophical assessment,” Fu Yan nodded slowly, his eyes calculating. “No wonder Miss Pei chose to wander the lawless zones, interfacing with so many rogue survival units. It appears your relationship with your father and sister was fundamentally fractured. But I can sympathize; human history proves that not all biological unions yield happiness.”

Pei Xiqing lowered her gaze, her fingers casually tracing the rim of her porcelain cup as she fell into a disciplined silence. The Commander-in-Chief might project a gentle, approachable facade, but his office had clearly subjected her historical background to a ruthless, top-to-bottom intelligence sweep.

“Indeed,” she murmured flatly.

Fu Yan turned his gaze out toward the glittering skyscrapers of the New District, a sudden flicker of genuine sorrow marring his features. “I once commanded a family of my own. Tragically, my wife was butchered by the undead variants five years ago. My only remaining legacy is my daughter. I wonder… did your paths ever cross during your travels? She was previously deployed to oversee an operation at Base Three, but following the total structural failure of that sector, she vanished from our tracking grids.”

Pei Xiqing’s fingers tightened slightly against her cup. Xia Jingyu’s father. The supreme director of the alliance was the biological father of the novel’s prominent female general.

She had no clear data regarding the exact parameters of Xia Jingyu’s current status. Following the apocalyptic collapse of Base Three, the female general had completely vanished from her perspective. Still, considering Xia Jingyu’s formidable combat traits and elite military standing, she doubted the woman would easily fall to a baseline horde.

“I cannot offer a definitive coordinate, Marshal,” Pei Xiqing answered carefully. “Is your office truly devoid of recent tracking logs? Are you entirely certain she isn’t currently executing a deep-cover mission within a neighboring sector?”

Fu Yan let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head. “The mission she was assigned suffered a total failure months ago. Base Three has been entirely erased from the map; what operational parameters could possibly remain? I have dispatched elite search units across every neighboring grid for the past few quarter-cycles, yet the results remain completely dead. I cannot fathom what kind of crisis that girl has stumbled into.”

“I had already broken perimeter and cleared the sector before Base Three reached its final breach, so I lack the precise tactical logs to explain what manifested there,” Pei Xiqing noted politely. “However, if my network unearths a single trace of her frequency, I will ensure the metrics are delivered straight to your office immediately.”

Fu Yan’s expression softened slightly with political relief. “My thanks. Though, that girl has always harbored a dangerous habit of trusting external variables too easily. In the past, she would deliberately wear Xiaolin’s personal command uniform to disrupt the enforcers, or actively sabotage Franlun’s field executions—which used to leave Qiu Chao absolutely furious. Staging a total disappearance is simply a favorite tactical ruse of her youth. If a political maneuver displeases her, she will vanish from the board for months at a time, only to suddenly reappear at the core base without warning.”

“Let us hope that is the case here.”

“She has tracked Xiaolin’s footsteps ever since her initial introduction to the command staff,” Fu Yan murmured, his eyes scanning Pei Xiqing’s face for a reaction. “Even when he ruthlessly expelled her from his inner circle, she likely viewed the friction as a game. She harbors absolutely no deep-seated malice. I trust an exceptional woman like Miss Pei wouldn’t hold her past eccentricities against her?”

“Of course not,” Pei Xiqing replied entirely honestly. “She provided invaluable tactical assistance to my unit back at Base Three. I am fully aware her instincts aren’t driven by malice. I harbor no resentment toward her.”

“Excellent,” Fu Yan nodded in satisfaction, a political warmth returning to his eyes. “Seeing how remarkably balanced and rational you are brings me immense relief. I am genuinely happy that Xiaolin has secured such a grounded, perceptive companion to anchor his shadow.”

His smile faded slightly, and he set his porcelain cup back onto the marble table with a hollow click. He leaned forward, the sharp, authoritative edge returning to his eyes, masked by a profound, heavy fatigue that made him look ancient.

“However… the executive demand Xiaolin leveled against the council last night is an administrative impossibility for my office to fulfill.”

Pei Xiqing maintained her calm posture. “If you harbor reservations, Marshal, why don’t you address them directly with him?”

Fu Yan locked his eyes onto hers, dropping all political pretenses as he bared the core of the meeting. “Miss Pei, the sole reason my office authorized this private audience is explicitly because of the ultimatum Xiaolin delivered inside that conference hall a few days ago.” He paused, meticulously choosing his words before delivering his final query. “Xiaolin is moving with absolute ruthlessness to monopolize every single high-tier crystal core in existence. Tell me… is he executing this extraction to resolve an unspeakable secret?”

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