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

Chapter 289: I Won’t Let Zombies Bite You

Pei Xiqing returned to the command building, finding Duan Xiaolin exactly where she had left him: studying the map. He was so deeply engrossed in analyzing the overly detailed topography that just looking at the screen made her own eyes start to blur. She genuinely couldn’t understand how he possessed the patience to memorize every single possible route.

“So, have you found any suitable and safe evacuation routes?” she asked.

“Yes,” he replied calmly, pointing a long finger at a specific path on the screen. “This route.”

“When do we set off?”

“You will go first,” he instructed. “Franlun will evacuate at the same time to escort you.”

Pei Xiqing narrowed her eyes. She sat down in the chair opposite him, keeping her gaze fixed firmly on his face.

Duan Xiaolin gave a half-smile. “What?”

“Are you saying this on purpose?”

“No.”

“So you’re just deliberately trying to make me angry? Is that it?”

The man paused slightly. He reached up, casually adjusting his silver-rimmed glasses. “How could I bear to make you angry? I am merely asking for your opinion on the matter. If you are not willing to go first, I will take other measures.”

“Of course I’m not willing!” she snapped, unable to stop herself from slamming a hand onto the table. Her cheeks puffed out in genuine irritation. “Don’t ask me to leave without you again. If you do, I swear I won’t use a single one of the crystal cores you bring back for me.”

Duan Xiaolin let out an almost imperceptible sigh. “Those two things are entirely unrelated. Don’t confuse them.”

“The more you try to coddle me and stop me from facing the zombies, the more determined I am to stay,” she argued defiantly. “It’s your own fault! You knowingly do the exact opposite of what I want, always trying to force me to leave early or sit around waiting safely for you. I’m not afraid of the zombie virus or the parasites anyway! What if the unique viral strain in my body starts degenerating because you’re overprotecting me…”

“I told you,” he said, his voice dropping slightly, “I will not allow you to risk your life again.”

“But the natural disasters are already here! Right now, everyone can only rely on themselves to survive,” she pleaded. “The future is entirely unpredictable. Can you realistically protect me for the rest of my life?”

“Why not?” The man lowered his brows slightly, his dark eyes filled with absolute, unwavering determination.

There were only the two of them left in the massive meeting room. With no one around to judge, Pei Xiqing had no qualms about shedding her usual grace. She practically stood up on her chair and leaned across the table to argue with him.

“Because you’re human too! Even though you possess an overwhelming superpower, you can’t freely use it right now. Given your current condition, you refuse to let me protect you, but you still stubbornly insist on protecting me?”

Duan Xiaolin met her fiery gaze smoothly. “It’s just a natural disaster.”

Pei Xiqing’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. “You…”

He chuckled lightly, entirely unfazed by the apocalypse raging outside. “It’s nothing, really.”

Pei Xiqing sighed, her anger deflating into deep affection. “But I worry about you. The natural disasters have already struck, and the aquatic parasites are running rampant everywhere. You…”

“You’re worried about me?” he asked softly.

“The more you worry about me, and the harder you push yourself to hunt crystal cores for my treatment, the more I worry about you,” she admitted honestly. “Feelings are mutual, you know.”

Duan Xiaolin reached out, wrapping a strong arm around her waist and gently helping her sit back down. “Okay.”

“So, what are your actual plans? Tell me.”

“Alright.”

She shifted closer, casually sitting on his lap and hooking her arms around his neck. “Tell me everything.”

Half an hour later, she blinked at the man, her eyes wide with shock and grudging admiration.

Duan Xiaolin pinched her cheek affectionately. “What? What kind of look is that?”

“You’re way too cunning,” she muttered, lightly tapping his forehead. “You old fox.”

He had tacitly anticipated exactly how fast the headquarters elites would run, when they would run, and exactly where they would run to. There was no miraculous “New Continent.” It was all a complete fabrication. The elites were unknowingly fleeing toward a barren wasteland of recycled, hostile terrain. All of their hopeful, selfish expectations would ultimately result in nothing more than grueling hard labor as they were forced to manually renovate the new base from scratch.

No wonder Duan Xiaolin had been so completely unhurried while the rest of the city panicked.

“Alright, in that case, when shall we actually leave?” she asked.

“There’s no rush.”

“Hmm?” She tilted her head. “I’ve already persuaded the refugees for you, and they’ve agreed to fully cooperate. So, what exactly are you planning to do with them?”

“They will follow Franlun,” he explained. “Headquarters will not be sending any more extraction teams or aircraft back for them; they are entirely on their own now.”

“But they don’t have any weapons, and they have absolutely no ability to defend themselves against the horde.”

“Franlun will provide them with what they need, and ensure they are adequately armed and prepared before we fully retreat.”

“That’s a good plan. Giving them handouts forever wouldn’t work anyway. It’s better to teach a man to fish than to just give him a fish.”

Pei Xiqing was still deep in thought when the ground suddenly seemed to drop out from beneath her.

With a smooth motion, the man stood up, effortlessly lifting her securely into his arms without breaking a sweat.

“What are you doing?” she yelped, quickly hugging his neck tighter for balance.

“It’s rare for us to have this kind of peace and quiet,” Duan Xiaolin murmured.

“What do you want to do?” she asked, a very bad feeling suddenly washing over her.

The man raised an elegant eyebrow. “I’m going to take you to some places you’ve never been before.”

“No, wait, I’m busy with important matters!” Pei Xiqing quickly protested. “I’ve already finished exploring for today.”

“Really? Let me see the photos you took, then.”

“They’re on my phone, and my phone is packed away in my suitcase… San She came to see me earlier, so I hurriedly packed everything up. There were too many sentimental things belonging to my mother, and I couldn’t take them all. I could only pack a few items. The rest of her things, along with your highly classified documents, I sealed in waterproof bags and stored them on the highest shelves.”

Duan Xiaolin hugged her tighter, striding out of the conference room. “Those material things aren’t important. She would understand.”

“Okay…”

Pei Xiqing was helplessly carried out into the corridor. There weren’t many people left in the building, but the Franlun operatives standing guard were still very much present. They were all wearing masks, but they certainly weren’t blind.

Mortified, Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but lightly slap his shoulder. “Where exactly are you taking me?!”

“Just taking a stroll.”

“Everyone is watching us!”

“They wouldn’t dare utter a single word of gossip.”

Held firmly in his arms, Pei Xiqing completely lost her bearings. When she finally looked up again, she realized he had carried her all the way to the highest observation deck of the headquarters tower.

The man gently set her down on a stone chair beside a massive pillar.

“Did you seriously bring me all the way up here just to check this view off some list?” she asked, bewildered.

“What did you think I was going to do, baby?” he teased smoothly.

Pei Xiqing immediately turned her face away, the tips of her ears turning noticeably red. “Nothing.”

She gently pushed him back and hopped off the stone bench. “The scenery up here really is quite nice. It would be a lot better if there wasn’t so much water, though.”

It was her first time visiting the observation deck, and the panoramic view was truly spectacular. From this height, she could see almost the entirety of the sprawling headquarters grid. However, looking down, it was obvious that over fifty percent of the city was already completely submerged.

Leaning against the reinforced glass railing, she asked casually, “Brother Duan, I went to the lab to see Qiu Chao earlier. You knew about that, right?”

Duan Xiaolin stood beside her, surveying the flooded base below. “I know.”

“He and I made a new discovery.”

“Really? That’s quite impressive. He couldn’t figure it out on his own after agonizing over the data for weeks, but the moment you arrived, he miraculously achieved a breakthrough.”

Pei Xiqing laughed. “Don’t give me that.”

How could she not know Qiu Chao’s elite skill level? She knew exactly what Duan Xiaolin was implying; it hadn’t just been her achievement alone.

“Can we go outside the walls and take a look now?” she asked eagerly.

“You want to go out there?”

“Yes! Let’s go find some of the new parasites or zombies.”

“Aren’t you tired from today?”

“I am tired, but these things are important too,” she insisted, pointing toward the murky sky. “The storm has finally broken, and it’s light out for once. Let’s just go out and take a quick look.”

Duan Xiaolin studied her eager face for a long moment. “Alright. If you really want to go, we’ll go take a look.”

Seeing him turn toward the stairs to lead the way, she quickly grabbed his sleeve. “Wait a minute, aren’t you going to call a few Shadow operatives to come with us and help fight? Your superpower is…”

“I have you, don’t I?” he asked softly.

“Well, that’s true…”

“Can’t you protect me? Or do you lack confidence in your own abilities?”

Pei Xiqing squeezed his hand tightly. “I am absolutely confident, I’m just worried that something unpredictable might happen to you. But don’t worry—I promise I won’t let a single zombie bite you.”

The man smiled warmly. “I’m relieved to hear you say that. Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, she was led back downstairs.

It had been raining non-stop since the natural disasters began, but the torrential downpour had finally lessened considerably, the heavy clouds parting just enough to let a dull dawn light filter through.

Sharing a single umbrella against the lingering drizzle, she and the man slowly rowed a small skiff out into the flooded streets.

Along the way, they passed by the massive, grounded ships where the refugees were sheltering.

Seeing her in the boat, the refugees waved enthusiastically from the decks. “Miss Pei! Where are you and your boyfriend headed?”

Pei Xiqing raised a hand and waved back. “We’re going out to scout the situation! You all just focus on resting and staying safe. The operatives from Franlun will come looking for you soon!”

“Alright! Please be careful! Come back safely!”

“We will!”

Little Xiao stood on his tiptoes near the railing, waving his arms excitedly. “Sister! Be careful when you and the Uncle go out! Don’t forget to come back! I’ll be waiting for you!”

Pei Xiqing chuckled at the boy’s enthusiasm.

But a moment later, she felt a slight tug on her arm.

Duan Xiaolin looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Who is the ‘Uncle’?”

Pei Xiqing batted her eyelashes innocently. “He meant you. Did you really think he saw you as my older brother?”

He pursed his lips slightly, a rare look of genuine annoyance crossing his handsome features. “For the first time in my life, I truly feel that being a few years older than you is not a good thing.”

Chapter 290: This Little Bit of Courage

Pei Xiqing and Duan Xiaolin temporarily left the headquarters by boat.

Outside, the world was still swallowed by floodwaters, stretching out into a pitch-black expanse as far as the eye could see. The muddy currents rushing down from the mountains were tainted a toxic, polluted black. Eerie shadows darted beneath the surface, looking as though they might burst out of the water at any moment to drag a person down to the depths.

Pei Xiqing leaned over the edge of the boat, watching the dark water for a while before the man behind her spoke up. “Be careful.”

She glanced back. “Do you think the water is going to rise all the way up to the headquarters buildings? It doesn’t look like the rain is going to stop anytime soon.”

“The climate will likely remain like this for the next two years,” he replied calmly.

“Two years?” She was stunned. It had only been a little over five years since the apocalypse began, yet this catastrophic flooding was going to last that long?

“At least two years.”

The boat wasn’t small; both the cabin and the deck could comfortably accommodate seven or eight people. Sitting on the swaying deck, she couldn’t help but sigh. “When will this ever end…?”

The boat sailed for over an hour, taking them far from headquarters. Now, there was nothing but a vast, endless sea surrounding them, teeming with aquatic parasites.

After casually kicking away two zombies that tried to claw their way up the side of the hull, Pei Xiqing turned around. “Brother Duan, drive a little further ahead.”

The boat was running on its automated navigation system. After cruising for another ten minutes, Pei Xiqing finally spotted what she was looking for. The moment the boat glided to a stop, she leaned over the railing, reaching her hand down toward the dark water.

Instantly, the man grabbed her wrist.

Duan Xiaolin frowned slightly. “What are you doing?”

“Catching the parasites hiding underwater,” she answered simply. How else was she supposed to show him her discovery?

“I’ll do it.”

“No…” Pei Xiqing pulled her arm back. “If you get bitten, you’re finished. I’ll do it myself.”

He had spent so many precious crystal cores nurturing her body; she didn’t care if these zombie parasites bit her, because she was immune to the infection. But he wasn’t.

She reached for the water again, but he pulled her back firmly.

“What are you doing? I can do it,” she protested, struggling against his grip for a moment before softening her tone. “It’s okay, really. Don’t worry.”

Despite her coaxing, Duan Xiaolin absolutely refused to yield. Instead, he stepped up to the console and pressed a few buttons. With a mechanical whir, the boat’s automated netting system deployed, plunging into the water to capture the parasites.

As soon as the net was hauled up, several writhing parasites were dumped onto the deck. They emitted a foul, putrid stench that was almost nauseating the second they hit the air.

Unable to help it, Pei Xiqing covered her nose and mouth, using her boot to nudge one of the creatures.

The parasite reacted with lightning speed. A tentacle shot out, immediately wrapping around her ankle and attempting to burrow into her skin.

Before it could even fully graze her calf, Duan Xiaolin drew his gun and shot the wriggling appendage clean off.

The severed limb crashed onto the deck, oozing a dark fluid that made the pungent smell even worse.

Pei Xiqing crouched down, carefully inspecting the pile of thrashing parasites. After a long moment, she pointed. “That one at the very back is fine.”

Duan Xiaolin used the muzzle of his gun to pry open the netting, forcing the innermost creature out into the open. He squatted down beside her. “Is there something unusual about it?”

Pei Xiqing drew the dagger from his waist and slashed at the parasite’s thick hide.

Unfortunately, her control over her strength and the angle of the blade wasn’t quite right. Her messy cut instantly spilled a gruesome pile of filthy, unrecognizable internal organs all over the deck. It looked like the creature had recently feasted on a lot of people… She gagged, almost vomiting on the spot.

Duan Xiaolin casually pulled out a handkerchief and wiped a speck of sticky fluid from her cheek. “That was quite a precise cut. Were you aiming for its stomach on purpose? Trying to study its recent diet?”

“No, that’s not it,” Pei Xiqing said, trying to maintain her patience while holding her breath. “I just cut in the wrong place…”

“Well, it looks like it ate about ten people.”

“…How do you even know that?”

Duan Xiaolin calmly used the muzzle of his gun to push aside the gory pile of organs. “Look here. There are more than twenty eyeballs in this mess. A few have been chewed up, but judging by their shape and structure, they’re definitely human tissue.”

He actually started counting them one by one. To him, this was already commonplace.

Pei Xiqing thought she had a strong stomach, but she only lasted about five seconds before she scrambled to the edge of the boat and violently threw up over the side.

Duan Xiaolin smiled, leaning back comfortably.

It was a rare moment without rain. Surrounded by a vast expanse of dark water, the heavy clouds finally parted just a fraction. It had been almost two months since the catastrophic floods began, and they hadn’t seen bright sunlight in what felt like an eternity. But now that the downpour had paused, a few faint rays of light managed to break through, casting a soft glow over them.

The man tilted his head, his posture relaxed and languid. “And yet, you had the courage to try and catch these things barehanded?”

“How is that the same thing?” Pei Xiqing argued, wiping her mouth. “If I reached into the water to catch them, at least I wouldn’t have to look at all this disgusting gore, and I wouldn’t be gutting them in my lap!”

She turned back around and realized he had already kicked the vile mess off the deck and cleaned up the grime.

The dim light fell perfectly across his profile, highlighting a gentle fondness he rarely showed to anyone else.

Pei Xiqing sat back down, staring at him for a moment before praising him sincerely. “A serious man really is the most handsome.”

He chuckled. “Want to try again? Do you want me to teach you how to make the cut properly this time?”

Pei Xiqing gripped the dagger tightly. “No need. Qiu Chao told me last time that my grip was just a bit off… This time it’ll definitely work.”

She dragged the remaining parasite carcass closer and prepared to stab it again.

Fortunately, she found the right spot this time. However, the creature’s internal carapace was incredibly dense. Her hand trembled uncontrollably as she struggled to push the blade deeper.

Just as Pei Xiqing braced herself to thrust the knife in with all her might, Duan Xiaolin’s large hand covered hers. With just a slight, effortless push, he guided the dagger straight through the parasite’s chest cavity in an instant.

Nestled inside the gore was a crystal core the size of a jujube, emitting a faint, pulsing light.

She pried it out, washing it off briefly before presenting it in her palm. “Look. Isn’t this a nice little surprise?”

Duan Xiaolin raised an eyebrow. He took her hand, carefully examining the glowing gem. “It’s a low-level crystal core.”

“We can take it slow! There will always be higher-level ones,” she said eagerly. “The fact that these parasites have crystal cores means there’s a whole new ecosystem out there. As long as we keep hunting, we’ll eventually find better, higher-tier cores.”

Seeing her delighted expression, he let out a soft chuckle. “Alright.”

Although these weak crystal cores were far from meeting the massive energy requirements for her treatment, he couldn’t deny her logic. She wasn’t wrong.

Feeling emboldened, Pei Xiqing quickly plunged her arm directly into the dark water. The sudden splash immediately attracted the attention of the submerged creatures.

In less than two seconds, her hand closed around another parasite. She yanked it onto the deck. It looked somewhat like a fish, but its entire body was covered in squirming, parasitic worms.

Pei Xiqing flung the outer layer of insects away, pinned the mutated fish down, and swiftly brought the dagger down.

This time, the crystal core she extracted was much smaller—only about the size of a fingertip—but its clarity and quality were obviously a grade higher.

She excitedly held it up. “Look!”

Duan Xiaolin gently wiped the blood off her hands with his handkerchief, his eyes softening affectionately. “Good job.”

“Now you won’t have to worry so much about securing crystal cores for me,” she said with a proud smile.

Duan Xiaolin remained silent for a moment before speaking, his tone gently grounding her. “These low-level crystal cores are just a drop in the ocean for an ability user’s needs. At best, they might slightly improve a normal person’s physical fitness, but they won’t play a significant role in sustaining you.”

Chapter 291: Can’t Call Me Uncle

“But this is still a crystal core,” Pei Xiqing argued softly, looking down at her harvest. “And it’s a completely new, mutated type. It could be useful.”

“I know,” Duan Xiaolin replied calmly. “I will certainly consider it. However, I absolutely will not take any risks with your body without concrete data and verified research to back it up.”

“…Okay.” She let out a small sigh. This was probably the best compromise she was going to get out of him.

The sky was rapidly darkening again, signaling the approach of yet another heavy downpour. They gathered their things and began preparing to head back to the villa.

Despite the minor argument, the trip had been incredibly fruitful. They had managed to collect over twenty newly mutated crystal cores of various sizes.

When their skiff finally returned to headquarters and moored near the massive refugee ship, Pei Xiqing was surprised to find the decks completely empty. Looking further into the distance, she spotted the refugees gathered in an open plaza. They were currently being instructed by the masked operatives of Franlun on how to operate various advanced technological weapons.

Pei Xiqing nudged the man beside her playfully with her elbow. “You know, for all your cold posturing, Brother Duan really is a softie at heart.”

Although Franlun was universally feared as the most cold-blooded, ruthless organization in the apocalypse—a group that supposedly cared for nothing but absolute order—they were now the last ones remaining at the base, patiently helping the abandoned refugees survive.

After stepping ashore, she watched in amazement as the fearsome Franlun executioners provided patient, one-on-one firearms instruction to the ordinary people. It was a truly surreal sight. Who would have ever thought Franlun operatives could blend in so well with normal civilians?

Xiao Xiao was the first to spot her. He jumped up, waving enthusiastically. “Sister! I’m over here!”

He was holding a massive rifle that was almost taller than he was. At a glance, Pei Xiqing could tell it was one of the military’s latest high-tech models.

“How are your lessons going?” she asked with a smile.

“Excellent! This thing is amazing!”

“That’s wonderful. Once you fully master it, make sure you teach your younger brothers and sisters how to use it too, okay?”

“No problem!” Xiao Xiao patted his chest confidently. “Leave it to me! I’ll definitely teach all of them!”

Several other refugees hurried over, their faces filled with gratitude. “Miss Pei, thank you so much! If it weren’t for you, people like us would never have gotten our hands on such powerful weapons in our entire lifetimes!”

“If you want to thank someone, you should be thanking Brother Duan.” She stepped behind the man and gently pushed him forward, presenting him to the crowd. “If it weren’t for this gentleman giving the nod, I wouldn’t have been able to arrange any of this.”

Everyone’s eyes immediately shifted to Duan Xiaolin.

Seeing his tall, imposing figure and his serious, terrifyingly cold demeanor, the crowd instantly froze in sheer terror. For a moment, the refugees stood absolutely motionless, feeling as though even their ability to breathe depended entirely on his mood. The nearby Franlun operatives all immediately bowed their heads in deep, silent respect at his presence.

Seeing this, the refugees were too terrified to even speak. They feared that taking even a single step forward might prompt this terrifying man to kill them on the spot.

Pei Xiqing nudged him again, whispering from behind his shoulder. “Say something, Brother Duan. Everyone is staring at you.”

The man lowered his eyes, meeting her earnest, pleading gaze. The corners of his lips quirked up into a very faint smile.

Seeing that the terrifying man wasn’t immediately going to slaughter them, Xiao Xiao was the first one brave enough to approach.

“Uncle! We meet again!”

Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but laugh out loud. It was endlessly amusing to hear the boy stubbornly call this terrifying Chief Judge “Uncle.”

Xiao Xiao had absolutely no idea that Duan Xiaolin deeply disliked the title. He just kept chattering away happily. “Uncle, it was you who told me last time that I had a knack for shining shoes! I’ve been polishing people’s boots every single day lately, and I’ve actually made a lot of money! Thank you so much!”

“You still cannot call me Uncle,” Duan Xiaolin corrected him smoothly.

“Then what should I call you?” Xiao Xiao scratched his head in confusion before suddenly clapping his hands together. “I know! I’ll call you Mr. Pei!”

“And how did you arrive at that conclusion?”

“Well,” the boy reasoned proudly, “you are Sister Pei’s boyfriend, so you must obviously be Mr. Pei!”

Behind the boy, his uncle was sweating profusely. He hurriedly rushed forward and yanked Xiao Xiao back by the collar. “What on earth are you blabbering about, you foolish brat?! Didn’t you hear her clearly just now? This esteemed gentleman’s surname is Duan! He is Mr. Duan! Why on earth would you just change his surname?!”

“No, let him be.” Duan Xiaolin reached out and smoothly took the heavy rifle from the boy’s hands. He casually aimed it toward the distant target range. “I actually like that title. You may call me that from now on.”

Xiao Xiao beamed. “Mr. Pei! Do you know how to use this gun? It took me a really long time to learn all the settings!”

“Is that so?”

“Mr. Pei, can you fire it continuously and hit the dead center of those ten targets way over there?” the boy challenged eagerly.

The moment Xiao Xiao finished his sentence, Duan Xiaolin had already pulled the trigger.

These were not ordinary bullets. Upon firing, the high-tech rounds disintegrated mid-air, deploying high-speed, spiraling kinetic blades powered by specialized energy cores. They were designed specifically to penetrate the incredibly tough hides of mutated aquatic parasites and instantly obliterate the thick skulls of evolved zombies. However, the immense recoil and complex firing mechanisms required absolute skill, precise force control, and spatial awareness to master. And this was considered the simplest model available to the operatives.

A cold gust of wind blew across the plaza, bringing a chilling dampness that seeped into their bones.

Pei Xiqing held her umbrella steady. The visibility in the rainy, dark night was pitifully low. If she hadn’t been explicitly told there were targets set up in the distance, she wouldn’t have even been able to see where they were placed.

It was only when Xiao Xiao began jumping up and down, screaming in excitement, that she realized Duan Xiaolin had already finished firing.

Every single shot had hit dead center.

Pei Xiqing gasped in genuine awe. “He’s so incredible!”

This was the first time she had ever actually witnessed Duan Xiaolin’s marksmanship. She had never been in a situation where she needed to see him fight before. Even completely suppressing his overwhelming supernatural abilities, his baseline combat skills were absolutely flawless.

The nearby Franlun operatives also paused their instruction to watch, their eyes filled with deep admiration. The Chief Judge may not have relied on his terrifying supernatural powers in recent years, but he had clearly never grown lax in his training. Whether it was precision marksmanship or brutal close-quarters combat… he had always maintained an absolutely terrifying standard of lethal perfection.

“Mr. Pei is super awesome!” Xiao Xiao cheered.

Duan Xiaolin calmly engaged the safety and smoothly reloaded a fresh magazine into the rifle. “Do you want to learn how to do that?”

“Yes! Very much!”

“Go stand by the front firing line. I will instruct you personally.”

“Yes, sir!”

The man turned back to Pei Xiqing. “Go back to the villa and rest for a while. I’ll join you shortly.”

“Don’t worry about me. Go ahead and teach him.” Pei Xiqing waved him off with a smile, watching fondly as the tall man and the little boy walked toward the firing range.

One of the refugee women cautiously approached her. “Miss Pei, your boyfriend usually looks incredibly scary.”

“Does he still look scary right now?” she asked with a soft smile. “He certainly didn’t look like a murderer just now, did he?”

“Well… right now, he doesn’t look as terrifying. But I really didn’t expect him to personally teach Xiao Xiao! I’m just so worried that Xiao Xiao might struggle to learn and end up angering Master Duan… What would we do then? He wouldn’t kill us over it, would he?”

“Yes, Miss Pei, the people of Franlun are terrifying! We don’t dare act recklessly around them. Perhaps you should call Xiao Xiao back!” another man added nervously.

Pei Xiqing quickly comforted them. “It’s fine, please don’t worry. Brother Duan isn’t a petty or unreasonable person. Besides, Xiao Xiao is a very bright boy; he’ll definitely be able to learn quickly. You really don’t need to stress over it.”

“We’re just still a little anxious…”

“Don’t worry,” she reiterated firmly. “Time is running out for all of us. You should all hurry up and focus on learning as much as you can. The opportunity to be personally mentored by elite Franlun operatives is a once-in-a-lifetime chance! Franlun is usually far too busy arresting criminals or interrogating spies to teach civilians. Anything you can learn from them right now is an absolute bonus for your survival!”

Hearing this, the crowd immediately snapped back to reality.

“Yes, yes, yes! That makes perfect sense!”

“It’s true! It’s incredibly rare for Franlun to teach us anything! We can’t waste this opportunity!”

“Hurry up, everyone! Get back to your instructors! Move!”

Satisfied, Pei Xiqing was just about to leave when an older woman suddenly sidled up to her with a knowing grin. “My, my. Master Duan certainly seems willing to listen to your every word. Miss Pei, you really are a lucky woman~”

Pei Xiqing coughed dryly, a faint blush dusting her cheeks.

Before she could deflect, another woman chimed in teasingly, “Look over there! Xiao Xiao and Master Duan are getting along so well! That boy really is a fast learner. But you know, Miss Pei, you and Master Duan should really hurry up and have one of your own! If you want a child as smart as Xiao Xiao, Master Duan will definitely be an even better teacher for his own kid, right?”

Pei Xiqing almost stumbled over her own feet in shock.

She looked around. The surrounding refugees were all looking at her with unabashed, gossipy smiles.

“Ah… well,” she stammered in embarrassment. “Things like that… we just leave it up to fate. I’m certainly not in a hurry, even if you all seem to be!”

“We’re just looking out for you, Miss Pei!”

“Hahahaha! Miss Pei is so incredibly kind to us. I was just telling my husband that if you ever have children in the future, I’ll happily help you take care of them for free! You wouldn’t have to worry about a single thing!”

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