What?! I Became the Zombie Beauty in the Villain’s Arms – CH355-358

Chapter 355| Chapter 356| Chapter 357| Chapter 358

Chapter 355: Eternal Isolation

Outside the security zone lay a desolate desert. Ling Lang sat perched atop an off-road vehicle, a pitch-black sniper rifle resting casually in his hands.

Driving across the barren Gobi, he had already sniped over a dozen mutated parasites and scattered zombies along the way, bringing his total kill count for the day into the hundreds.

The moment he secured his rifle, he turned his head, casting an impatient glare at Qiu Chao, who was chattering endlessly in the back seat.

“What could you possibly have to talk about for so long? It’s so damn noisy.”

Qiu Chao, leaning lazily against the seat with his communicator in hand, didn’t even look up. “What do you care?”

“Ling Lang?” a familiar voice came through the device.

Ling Lang clicked his tongue in annoyance but fell silent when he recognized the voice on the other end.

Qiu Chao laughed into the mic. “Yeah, it’s him. We’re out on a hunting patrol. He’s in charge of clearing out the zombies in the perimeter, and I’m supposed to be surveying the terrain. Naturally, I decided to chat with you to pass the time.”

Inside the executive building of the newly restored base, Duan Xiaolin was working at a large desk, his back facing the floor-to-ceiling windows.

As the base expanded, his workload had multiplied exponentially. The stacks of documents requiring his approval seemed endless. If he stopped reviewing them for even a few hours, another small mountain of paperwork would inevitably appear beside him.

“Pass the time?” Pei Xiqing’s voice drifted through the comms. “Brother Qiu Chao, you aren’t slacking off, are you? Who chats for over two hours while on an active mission?”

“I’m not in the combat squad! I’m just keeping you company to kill time.”

“It doesn’t take two and a half hours to do that.” Pei Xiqing rubbed her forehead with a sigh. “I’m thirsty.”

“If you’re thirsty, go drink some water. I’m not stopping you. Go ahead,” Qiu Chao said, leaning further back into his seat. “Come back when you’re done. We still need to discuss exactly how you managed to cure the side effects of Brother Duan’s powers.”

Ling Lang’s ears immediately perked up. “Wait. Did my brother fully recover?”

“You clearly weren’t listening. I just spent the last two hours talking to Xiqing about this. Do you seriously think I have nothing better to do than shoot the breeze with her all day?”

“Don’t you?”

…

Qiu Chao rolled his eyes hard.

Ling Lang began wiping down his rifle, a rare hint of eagerness in his voice. “So, he can use his superpowers normally now?”

“Of course,” Qiu Chao boasted. “It was all thanks to my expert advice.”

“Your advice?” Ling Lang scoffed, the corner of his lips pulling up in a mocking smirk. “Stop being ridiculous.”

At that moment, Pei Xiqing returned with a glass of water. Hearing Qiu Chao’s boast, she laughed. “Yes, it really was thanks to Brother Qiu Chao’s advice. Although, from what I heard, Brother Qiu Chao’s actual experiments were a complete failure.”

Embarrassed, Qiu Chao quickly tried to defend himself. “My lab experiments might have failed, but my theories were solid! As my prime test subject, you turned out perfectly fine, didn’t you?”

“Yes, yes, yes.” Pei Xiqing sat down on the sofa, took a long sip of water, and smiled. “But I have to ask—how did you even come up with that theory?”

“I didn’t know the exact method. I just deduced that the Qiong Snake had to be forced into a dormant state so your original abilities could be fully released. I figured that was the only way Brother Duan had a chance at recovery.”

“Well, let me tell you something you definitely didn’t know,” Pei Xiqing said.

“What is it?”

“It actually had absolutely nothing to do with the Qiong Snake.”

“What?!” Qiu Chao sat up straight. “My theory couldn’t have been wrong… Then how did you cure him?”

Pei Xiqing chuckled. “The side effects he was suffering from weren’t caused by the Qiong Snake. They were actually caused by… some adverse reactions from when I bit him a long time ago.”

She gave him a brief rundown of what had actually happened.

Qiu Chao’s lazy demeanor vanished entirely. He sat bolt upright in the off-road vehicle.

“WHAT?!” he yelled, his voice cracking. “Damn it! I guessed wrong!”

He paused, his brain working frantically. “Wait, when did you bite Brother Duan?”

“…A long time ago, when we were still out in the wasteland. I remember we ran into Xiao Yue and his team, and another squad whose name I can’t remember. We were surrounded in a ruined city. Brother Duan helped me escape, but I lost control of the virus in my body and bit him.”

“After all this time, I never would have guessed that your own ability was the root cause of his condition.” Qiu Chao rubbed his temples, groaning.

Suddenly, he looked down at his own arm in horror. “Wait… am I going to have those side effects too?!”

“No,” Pei Xiqing reassured him. “You aren’t Brother Duan, and you don’t have the Qiong Snake curse inside you.”

It took Qiu Chao a long moment to process her words.

He gritted his teeth. “Are you mocking me? Because I’m going to be very, very sad if you are.”

“I’m not mocking you,” she laughed.

“You are! You’re mocking me for not having superpowers as strong as Brother Duan’s! I’m heartbroken…”

Unable to listen to another second of his whining, Ling Lang snatched the communicator out of Qiu Chao’s hand. “Hey, it’s me.”

“Hi, Ling Lang.”

“Did you… really fix my brother’s problem?”

“I did.”

Ling Lang stumbled over his words. “And are you… are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine. I just put the Qiong Snake to sleep and used my own innate abilities to purge the negative effects from Brother Duan’s system. He can use his powers as freely as he wants now.” Pei Xiqing glanced over at the man working diligently behind the desk. “Do you want to talk to him? You two haven’t spoken in over a month.”

Since the mass wedding, Ling Lang had been stationed out in the borderlands. Though he had sent back numerous reports detailing their successful sweeps, they hadn’t actually had a proper conversation.

Ling Lang hesitated. “No need.”

“Hm?”

“Forget it. Put him on.”

Pei Xiqing stood up and carried the communication terminal over to the desk, sliding it toward him.

A holographic screen immediately projected in front of Duan Xiaolin.

He looked up, meeting Pei Xiqing’s eyes. She offered him an encouraging wink.

The man shook his head helplessly, a soft smile touching his lips. “How have you been lately?”

“I’m fine, brother,” Ling Lang replied quickly. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, too.”

“Then I can finally relax.” Ling Lang exhaled deeply. “I was really worried about the backlash from your powers. I didn’t expect the problem to be solved so quickly.”

“I was surprised, too.”

Duan Xiaolin signed his name on a document and smoothly flipped to the next one. “Once I finish wrapping up the most urgent matters here, I’ll be taking her to the northern security zone.”

“Hm?” Ling Lang raised an eyebrow. “What are you going up there for? If I recall correctly, that sector still has a high concentration of zombies. Just leave it to me; I’ll clear it out once I’m done here.”

“I can’t stay cooped up in the base forever,” Duan Xiaolin said mildly. “Ruirui will be growing up soon. It’s time to start letting him see the world.”

Ling Lang’s eyes widened. “Ruirui is barely half a year old, and you’re already planning out his worldly education?!”

“Yes,” the man replied smoothly. “The base up north is currently under repair. We’ll just be passing through.”

Ling Lang bit his lip. “I’ll come with you guys.”

“You are returning to the base next month,” Duan Xiaolin corrected firmly. “You’ve worked incredibly hard these past few months. You need to rest.”

“I don’t need a break.”

“Ling Lang.” Duan Xiaolin’s tone brokered no argument. “Everyone needs to stop and rest eventually. You haven’t taken a break in a very long time. Once your current mission is complete, leave the rest to me.”

Ling Lang wanted to argue. He thought about it for a few seconds, but ultimately remained silent, swallowing his protests.

After the call ended, Pei Xiqing leaned over the desk. “Did he agree?”

“Don’t count on it.”

“Hm?”

“Knowing his personality, it’s highly unlikely.”

Pei Xiqing sighed. “I still think it would be best for Ling Lang to take a break.”

“If he refuses, we can’t force him.”

“True.” She paused, leveling a stern glare at him. “But I also think you need a break.”

She leaned closer, crossing her arms. “Don’t think that just because I cured the side effects of your powers, you can keep working like a machine. You need to take care of your body and recuperate. No messing around.”

It wasn’t just the recent backlash from his powers; it was the accumulation of countless severe injuries he had sustained over the years. If he underwent a full medical scan, the doctors would be horrified to discover that his physical stability had been entirely propped up by the sheer vitality of the Qiong Snake.

Without the Qiong Snake residing in his body, he never would have recovered so quickly from his wounds—let alone returned to processing paperwork the very next day.

Pei Xiqing tapped him lightly between the eyebrows. “I’m warning you. When we go north, we aren’t going to fight or do anything strenuous. We are strictly going there to recuperate.”

The northern security zone wasn’t actually that far from their current base, and it hadn’t suffered as much apocalyptic devastation. Word had it that the scenery was beautiful, boasting some of the last remaining untouched natural landscapes in the world.

For them, traveling there didn’t mean embarking on another brutal campaign. It was truly meant to be a vacation.

Since the resolution of the natural disasters, the global situation had stabilized dramatically. The wastelands were no longer as treacherous as before. The zombie populations had plummeted, and parasites were practically extinct, only surviving in the most remote, desolate borderlands.

In short, the world was healing.

So, after Duan Xiaolin’s powers were fully restored, Pei Xiqing had decided it was time for them to rest. They needed time away from the endless demands of the base so they could finally spend some quality time together with Ruirui.

The man pulled her into his lap, wrapping an arm comfortably around her waist. He smiled indulgently. “Whatever you say.”

“Then let these be the last of it.” Pei Xiqing gestured to the remaining stack of documents and the blinking messages on his terminal. “I’m giving you one last day. If these administrators keep sending you reports—especially at two or three in the morning—I’m going to track them down one by one and ask them if they actually want their Chief Judge to live to see tomorrow.”

Duan Xiaolin chuckled softly. “It won’t take a whole day. I can finish all of this before ten o’clock tonight. Then we can go home, cook dinner, and pack our things. We can leave whenever you’re ready.”

“Good. The sooner we leave, the better.”

She pulled out her camera and began flipping through the gallery. Stopping on a photo of the two of them smiling against a backdrop of snow, she felt a sudden wave of emotion.

When they had first set out into that snow, their survival had been entirely uncertain. Now, sitting here safely in his arms, it all felt like a surreal dream.

Duan Xiaolin took the camera from her hands. “There are still a lot of ancient ruins and beautiful scenery up north. The polluted zones have been clearing up recently. We can take plenty of pictures while we’re there.”

“Deal.”

Pei Xiqing leaned comfortably against his chest as they began reviewing the remaining documents together.

Before long, she started to doze off. The chest of the man behind her was broad, solid, and incredibly warm. She managed to mumble a few responses at first, but eventually, she drifted into a deep sleep without even realizing it.

When she woke up, it was already pitch black outside.

She was lying on the soft sofa in his office, completely draped in his heavy coat.

Pei Xiqing rubbed her eyes groggily. Over the past few days, she hadn’t slept much, constantly worrying about Ruirui’s health and checking on Brother Duan. He was the type of man who would never complain about pain, and by the time she usually noticed something was wrong, he was already pushing his limits.

Having finally caught up on her sleep, she felt entirely refreshed. She stretched lazily, stood up, and walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows to admire the view.

The base had been largely restored, with many of the central buildings replicated flawlessly to match their pre-apocalypse glory. Seeing the thousands of warm lights glowing in the darkness gave her a profound, long-lost sense of peace.

Turning away from the window, she realized Duan Xiaolin wasn’t in the office.

She slipped out the door to look for him.

She found him in the adjacent conference room. The door was slightly ajar, and he appeared to be speaking to someone over a secure comms channel.

“Judge Duan, are you truly unwilling to lend us a hand?” the voice on the other end pleaded. “The population base out here is shrinking rapidly. You know exactly what we are going to face in the near future. If you choose to abandon us, you will not be able to afford the consequences.”

“Lend you a hand?” Duan Xiaolin smiled faintly, though his tone was laced with icy sarcasm. “I am not foolish enough to drag you into the sanctuary we bled to establish.”

That voice… Pei Xiqing recognized it. It was Fu Yan.

The former Supreme Marshal of the old headquarters.

She crept closer to the door, listening intently.

She hadn’t expected this. After the elites of the headquarters had fled and scattered to rebuild their own enclaves, she had assumed they would stay out of their lives forever. She never imagined the day would come when they would crawl back, begging Brother Duan for help.

It seemed they were incredibly desperate.

It was no wonder Fu Yan was groveling. For the sake of the survival of the headquarters’ remnants, he desperately needed Duan Xiaolin’s permission to relocate them into the heavily fortified, thriving new base.

“Xiaolin,” Fu Yan’s voice crackled through the speaker, sounding ancient and thoroughly defeated. “Must you really push us to the brink? The people from the headquarters won’t cause trouble, nor will they harm you. Whatever you want to do in the future, I will back you unconditionally. The entire old guard will submit to your command. There is a massive caravan of our people waiting outside your perimeter right now. Please… just give the signal and let them in.”

“Fu Yan,” Duan Xiaolin replied coldly. “The terms you’re offering might have seemed somewhat attractive to me a lifetime ago, but now… I’m sorry. I will not agree to your terms, and you will receive no permission from me.”

“…”

A heavy, despairing sigh echoed over the comms.

Pei Xiqing held her breath, hiding in the shadows of the doorway.

Then, Fu Yan spoke again, his voice breaking. “My daughter… is she still alive? I heard you finally let her out of containment. She… she doesn’t actually mean any harm. She’s just a little willful. Even if she’s no longer useful to you, she can still contribute to your base. Please, I’m begging you. Spare her life.”

“She is alive,” Duan Xiaolin said evenly. “I promise you that.”

With that, he cut the connection. The call was over.

Those who had chosen to abandon the innocent and flee with the headquarters so many years ago were now permanently locked out. They would remain forever isolated outside the base’s towering walls and impenetrable checkpoints—experiencing the exact same hopeless exclusion they had once forced upon the rest of humanity.

Chapter 356: Extra — Reunion

In this apocalyptic world, they headed north, where heavy snow blocked the mountain passes. The journey was even more grueling than the ones they had undertaken before.

However, for a team fully prepared to brave the north, this posed little problem.

The transport ship towed several heavy vehicles through the air, soaring over the towering, snow-capped mountains as it moved steadily toward its destination.

Three hours later, they landed.

Pei Xiqing had fallen fast asleep in the cabin, completely dead to the world. It was only when Duan Xiaolin gently shook her shoulder that she slowly woke up. “…Are we there yet?”

“We’ve arrived.”

The man stood up and handed her the heavy coat draped over the back of her chair. “Get dressed and prepare to disembark. It’s very cold outside.”

“Is Ruirui here yet?”

“He and Zhang Tian arrived safely ahead of us.”

“Good.”

Pei Xiqing yawned, slipping into her coat as she followed him off the ship.

During their flight, they had been forced to stop and survey the geographical conditions of several regions, passing by many of the bases they had previously established. Knowing this process would be exhausting and time-consuming, they had decided not to bring Ruirui on the main ship. If he had come with them, who knew how much time they would have wasted managing a baby in the wild.

As soon as Pei Xiqing stepped off the ramp, before she could even take in her surroundings, Zhang Tian came rushing over with the baby in her arms.

“Ruirui! Look who’s here!” Zhang Tian cooed. “Your mommy and daddy finally landed safely at the base. Go say hello!”

Ruirui babbled in her arms, making happy, nonsensical sounds.

Pei Xiqing quickly reached out, taking the child and gently squeezing his little hand. “Tian-jie, thank you so much for your hard work taking care of him.”

“It’s not hard at all! Ruirui is practically half my son now. I look forward to spending every day with him.”

“Then when he grows up, he’s definitely going to have to thank his godmother properly.”

Pei Xiqing stepped further out onto the landing pad.

Only then did she finally have the chance to look around.

This was the northern human base.

The repair work here was clearly struggling. Everything was buried beneath a thick layer of heavy snow. Establishing a fully functional base in this environment was an incredibly daunting task, but it was absolutely essential. No matter how difficult it was, this base had to be completed as soon as possible.

The northern region occupied a highly strategic geographical location. It was a vital transportation hub that would eventually connect the crucial scientific and technological centers of the north and south.

Zhang Tian, who had arrived a week earlier, walked beside her, eagerly playing tour guide.

“This place is currently being called Snow Township,” she explained. “It used to have some long English name, but I can’t really remember it. The villagers who came from the southern settlements to set up the farms gave it this name. They said it snows here all year round, so calling it Snow Township just made sense.”

“It’s not a bad name. Easy to remember.”

“Look over there,” Zhang Tian pointed. “There’s a small power relay halfway up that mountain. It connects the power grid here to the grids of more than ten surrounding snow-capped peaks. Once the construction is finished, every mountain within a radius of thousands of miles will be linked. Then, no matter which peak you’re on, you’ll be able to connect to the base’s signal.”

“That’s amazing.”

Pei Xiqing then noticed a massive lake a short distance away. It was completely frozen over, a vast expanse of pristine white.

In the sunlight, the thick surface of the ice seemed to shimmer with a faint, golden glow.

“There are several lakes up ahead,” Zhang Tian said softly. “They used to be swan lakes. If it weren’t for the virus, those swans would still be alive, swimming around in the water. It must have been really beautiful. But after the zombie virus hit, they all disappeared. Many of them mutated or died… Anyway, if we ever want to restore the local ecosystem, we’ll need to study the area a lot more.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Pei Xiqing said warmly. “We’ll have plenty of time in the future. We’re going to find all the species that disappeared or mutated and bring them back.”

After walking a few more steps, Duan Xiaolin—who had been discussing logistics with a base official up ahead—slowed his pace, waiting for her to catch up.

Seeing him waiting, Pei Xiqing called out, “Brother Duan.”

The man turned around, his gaze falling on the child in her arms. He reached out and took the baby from her.

Seeing him, Zhang Tian immediately straightened up. “Brother Duan.”

She then clapped her hands together. “It’s time for Ruirui to drink his milk, so I’ll take him back inside first. We came out two hours early to wait for you guys, but who knew your flight would be delayed again? Ruirui is getting hungry. If you two have official business to handle, go ahead. Come find me later, and I’ll cook you a delicious meal.”

“Brother Duan and I don’t actually have any pressing matters right now,” Pei Xiqing said. “We can just come with you and help out.”

“No, no, no!” Zhang Tian said quickly. “I actually have… ahem, someone new helping out at home. He can assist me. Besides, I’m Ma Mengxiang’s personal apprentice! I can’t let my master down when it comes to cooking. I guarantee it’ll be amazing. Just come over when it’s time to eat!”

Pei Xiqing caught the subtle shift in her tone and raised an eyebrow. “Tian-jie, make sure you introduce this ‘someone’ to us later.”

“Don’t worry! You might not know him, but then again, you might. We actually reunited here in Snow Township recently.”

“Reunited?”

“We used to be in the same squad a long time ago.”

“Ah, an old teammate,” Pei Xiqing smiled knowingly. “Alright, then Brother Duan and I will head over later.”

“I’ll take Ruirui with me!”

Zhang Tian practically skipped away, holding the baby.

Pei Xiqing watched her retreating figure and couldn’t help but sigh. “Why do I feel like our son isn’t even our son anymore?”

“There is an undeniable sense of crisis,” the man beside her agreed mildly.

Pei Xiqing thought about it for a few seconds before making a firm decision. “Starting tomorrow, I’m bringing Ruirui back to live with us. Having one nanny at home will be enough, and we can take turns looking after him the rest of the time. We can’t keep bothering Tian-jie. If we do, she’ll never have time to focus on her own personal life.”

Duan Xiaolin’s lips curled into a faint smile as he playfully imitated her tone. “That’s right. You should just leave him to me from now on. If you get tired, I’ll take over. And if that doesn’t work, we’ll just force Qiu Chao and Leng Huayi to come over and babysit.”

Pei Xiqing’s eyes curved into happy crescents as she laughed.

“If they heard you say that, they’d complain behind your back for weeks.”

The man took her hand and led her in the opposite direction.

As they walked, Pei Xiqing kept looking back at the beautiful frozen lakes. “Wait, I wasn’t finished looking at that…”

Duan Xiaolin stopped, giving her all the time she needed. Pei Xiqing immediately pulled out her camera and began snapping photos of the shimmering ice, capturing how the sunlight danced across the frozen surface nestled against the mountains.

Later, he led her to a sprawling expanse of ancient ruins.

Although it was referred to as wreckage, a surprising amount of the architecture remained intact. The structural integrity of the ancient buildings was so profound that they had actually managed to withstand the end of the world.

It began to snow again. Duan Xiaolin opened an umbrella, holding it over her head. “This place was a religious temple before the apocalypse,” he noted.

Pei Xiqing stepped forward and offered a respectful bow to a broken, weathered statue in front of them.

Duan Xiaolin chuckled softly. “You don’t have to force yourself to believe if you don’t want to.”

“I just accept whatever comes my way,” she said, clasping her hands together. “When I was little, I prayed to a lot of gods and Buddhas, but they always seemed too busy to help me realize my dreams. So, I learned to make things happen on my own.”

It was true. When she was a child, watching other girls wear new dresses and beautiful hairpins, she would silently beg the heavens to give her the same. But as she grew older, she realized the gods weren’t playing favorites. If she wanted something, she had to work for it. From working at convenience stores to movie theaters to amusement parks… eventually, she stumbled into the Hengdian film studios, and the rest was history. She had earned everything she had through her own sweat and tears.

Her dreams had never been grand. She never truly cared about becoming famous. If that fatal accident on set hadn’t happened, she would have been perfectly content just being a hard-working actress.

The man gently squeezed her hand.

Pei Xiqing snapped out of her memories, looking up at him.

He stood tall beside her, holding the umbrella, his slender figure shielding her from the snow. He leaned in slightly, his thumb tracing the back of her hand.

He wore a pair of sleek glasses, and his eyes were calm, but through their joined hands, she could feel the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat. Thump. Thump. The sound seemed to travel from his pulse straight into her own chest, growing clearer by the second.

His gaze was fixed entirely on her. His deep, striking features were softened by an overwhelming, unmistakable affection.

“From now on,” he said softly, “no matter how big or small your dreams are, I will realize them for you.”

Hearing his reassuring, unshakeable vow, Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but laugh. “You said it.”

“I did.”

She stepped forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. “Then I want to travel and check in at all sorts of different places. I want to understand this world better and take millions of photos.”

“That’s too easy.” He shifted the umbrella to cover her shoulders properly, wrapping his free arm around her as they continued walking. “Next time, give me a real challenge.”

“Then your punishment is that you have to take full responsibility for Ruirui and Xiaobai at home.”

“Taking care of you is already a full-time job.”

“Brother Duan, don’t brag. Taking care of a baby isn’t easy. Don’t act all tough now. When Ruirui cries all night and you can’t sleep, don’t you dare try to pass him off to the nanny.”

“I understand,” he smiled. “I’m still learning how to be a good father. Raising a child seems like the perfect place to start.”

Later that day, Pei Xiqing ran into some old friends at the base.

She had never imagined she would have the chance to see them again.

Tang Yitong, Tan Yuanxin, and the rest of their old scavenger squad were sitting around a large, circular table in a private dining room.

Tang Yitong couldn’t stop sneaking glances at Pei Xiqing. Pei Xiqing was currently studying a strange crystal core in her hand, completely absorbed. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, Tang Yitong burst out, “Sister Qing’er, you…”

“What’s wrong?” Pei Xiqing looked up from the core. “I haven’t figured it out yet, don’t worry. I have a friend who’s an expert in this field. I might need to ask him to identify it. But honestly, I feel like this core you guys found is a little… well, it doesn’t really look like a standard crystal core.”

Tang Yitong reached out and grabbed her hand. “No, no, that’s not what I meant!”

She practically snatched the core out of Pei Xiqing’s hand and tossed it onto the table. “This broken rock is just some junk we found while scavenging near the red alert zone. It’s just an empty shell. All the power inside is probably gone, destroyed by whatever massive explosion happened out there. But that doesn’t matter right now! What’s important is…”

Tang Yitong leaned in, staring intensely at Pei Xiqing’s face. “Sister Qing’er!”

“Ah? What is it? Just tell me…”

“Why haven’t you contacted us for so long?!” Tang Yitong practically yelled. “I’ve been so worried about you! It’s been ages since we got separated in the ghost city!”

She looked like she was ready to file a formal complaint. Pei Xiqing didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. She quickly pulled the younger girl into a hug. “I’m so sorry! I was incredibly busy back then, and so many crazy things happened afterward that I just didn’t have the time to track you down. But I always knew your squad made it out safely, so I didn’t want to disturb you until things had completely stabilized.”

Tan Yuanxin, sitting next to Tang Yitong, coughed politely, pulling his impulsive sister back into her seat.

“Yitong! Calm down. Why are you grabbing Miss Duan the second she sits down? If someone sees you, they’ll think you’re being disrespectful.”

Tang Yitong stuck her tongue out. “She’s my Sister Qing’er! She’s not an outsider, right?”

“Right,” Pei Xiqing nodded quickly, pulling her chair closer to the girl. “Come sit here. And Brother Tan, please don’t worry about it. Yitong and I haven’t seen each other in a long time. It’s fine.”

Tan Yuanxin looked as though he wanted to say something, but ultimately held his tongue.

There were about ten people sitting around the table. The table was large, and the private room was spacious. As soon as she had bumped into them outside, Pei Xiqing had immediately booked the largest private room in the base’s best restaurant.

Everyone was buzzing with excitement. Bumping into each other like this was a massive coincidence.

Tan Yuanxin raised his glass, a warm smile on his face. “Everyone has worked incredibly hard these past few months. I’m overjoyed to see you all again. I’m glad our squad could reunite, and I’m especially glad to see that Miss Duan is safe and sound. Come on! Let’s drink to our reunion!”

He added quickly, “We all have guard duty later, so we’re substituting tea for alcohol today.”

Pei Xiqing quickly filled her own glass. “Cheers! To our reunion.”

Tang Yitong was by far the most excited. The moment they finished clinking glasses, she started chattering excitedly. “Sister Qing’er! You have to tell me who that man next to you in the ghost city was! I was incredibly impressed by him! He did not look like someone you wanted to mess with. And that handsome white-haired guy next to him! Come on, you have to introduce me!”

She still remembered how terrified they had been in that ghostly dimension. When those two men had suddenly appeared, she had thought they looked like literal gods descending to save the world!

Even if they both looked incredibly intimidating…

And that handsome white-haired guy had definitely seemed to have an attitude problem whenever she spoke to the big boss.

Pei Xiqing paused, glancing awkwardly at Tan Yuanxin.

Tan Yuanxin looked confused. “What’s wrong, Miss Duan?”

Pei Xiqing coughed awkwardly. “Brother Tan… my last name actually isn’t Duan. I’m really sorry. There were some special circumstances back then, and I never got the chance to explain things properly. I truly apologize.”

It was her own fault. She had always felt guilty about deceiving them.

Tang Yitong and Tan Yuanxin both looked baffled.

“Wait,” Tang Yitong blinked. “Sister Qing’er, what is your real name then?”

Tan Yuanxin, however, was already starting to put the pieces together. He had long suspected the true identity of the terrifying man who had accompanied her.

“My name is…”

Pei Xiqing was just about to answer when the door to the private room was suddenly pushed open.

Duan Xiaolin, dressed in simple, capable work attire, walked in with steady, commanding steps.

He pulled out the empty chair next to Pei Xiqing and sat down. “Apologies,” he said smoothly. “I just finished dealing with an urgent matter. I hope I’m not too late.”

Chapter 357: Extra — Are you drunk already? 

A ripple of surprise swept across the dinner table as the man pulled out a chair and naturally took his seat beside Pei Xiqing.

In the twilight years of the apocalypse, anyone who had served at the base knew of Chief Judge Duan Xiaolin.

He usually kept a low profile, rarely attending any gatherings outside of major strategic meetings, leaving many unaware of his true appearance. However, the recent unnatural disasters and the massive explosion in the Red Alert Zone had thrust him into the spotlight. Even those who normally wouldn’t have the chance to see him had been forced to recognize him anew.

As for someone like Tan Yuanxin, he was considered a veteran among veterans. He had known the man since the very beginning, back when Duan Xiaolin had first awakened his superpowers.

“Judge Duan…” Tan Yuanxin quickly stood up, raising his teacup in respect. Just as he was about to speak, Duan Xiaolin gently waved a hand, gesturing for him to sit back down.

“Since this is a gathering between friends, there’s no need for formalities. Just think of me as Xiqing’s husband.”

The palpable tension in the room instantly evaporated, and everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.

Still, the seasoned veterans didn’t dare to completely let their guard down. They sat stiffly, looking like soldiers awaiting their commander’s orders. Seeing this, Tang Yitong broke the ice, calling out sweetly, “So, does that mean I can call you brother-in-law?”

Her bold question yanked the hardened soldiers out of their rigid, formal mindset. Everyone at the table couldn’t help but laugh. Tan Yuanxin’s lips curled into a wry smile. “I guess calling you Miss Duan wasn’t entirely wrong then. Did you adopt Judge Duan’s last name?”

His gaze held a hint of teasing. Pei Xiqing smiled, feeling a bit awkward. “I’m sorry I lied to all of you back then. My actual surname is Pei. Pei Xiqing.”

“Then I’ll just keep calling you Sister Qing’er!” Tang Yitong chirped. “Whether it’s Duan Qing or Pei Xiqing, it doesn’t make a difference, right?”

Tan Yuanxin nodded in agreement. “Exactly, it doesn’t change anything. You don’t need to feel sorry about it. We understand.”

“See, Sister Qing’er?” Tang Yitong added. “It’s totally fine. None of us mind at all!”

Pei Xiqing smiled warmly and formally introduced the man beside her. “I was going to introduce him, but it seems you all already know him. This is Duan Xiaolin. The last time we saw each other, I didn’t have time to properly greet you, and then things got complicated…”

“It’s okay, it’s okay!” Tang Yitong quickly waved her hands. “Everyone has been incredibly busy, we totally understand! So no more apologizing, Sister Qing’er!”

Pei Xiqing chuckled, though she still felt a twinge of guilt. “Alright…”

Duan Xiaolin smoothly interjected, “The responsibility lies with me as well. I should have reached out to you sooner. However, I was aware of your strict deployment schedules and upcoming missions, so I decided not to intrude rashly.”

Tan Yuanxin and several of the men instinctively jumped to their feet. “You are too polite, sir. We don’t deserve such consideration. If the Chief Judge has any instructions or missions for us, just say the word, and we will execute them without fail.”

Tang Yitong slapped a hand to her forehead and immediately began tugging them back down into their seats. “Sit down! Honestly, Brother Tan, did you come here for a military briefing or a meal? My brother-in-law literally just said this is an ordinary gathering, and here you go again! How annoying! If you’re going to act like this, I’ll go book you a separate conference room so you can talk about base operations all night!”

She couldn’t help but mutter, “It’s been so long, and you guys don’t even know how to relax. It’s rare enough that they can come over for dinner, and you still have to act so stiff…”

Pei Xiqing laughed and agreed, “She’s right. You guys should listen to Tongtong. We’re just here to enjoy a good meal today, so let’s leave work at the door. If you bring it up again, Tongtong and I are actually going to get mad.”

“Alright, alright.” Tan Yuanxin smiled helplessly as he settled back into his chair. “We’ll treat it as a simple dinner party. In that case, Judge Duan, I’d like to share a few drinks with you.”

Duan Xiaolin signaled the staff to bring over some liquor. His tone was measured but relaxed. “I’m officially granting you all two days of leave starting today. You can drink to your heart’s content.”

Tan Yuanxin and his squad were immensely flattered. “In that case, we’ll definitely have to challenge the Chief Judge to a drinking contest!”

Pei Xiqing turned her head, shooting her husband a playful wink. Well played! And excellent timing, too!

Receiving her silent praise, the corners of Duan Xiaolin’s lips quirked up. He openly reached for her hand, interlocking their fingers beneath the table. “Do you want to drink as well?”

Pei Xiqing eyed the jugs of liquor and swallowed quietly. “I’d better pass. You guys go ahead. If you get drunk, someone still needs to be sober to take care of Ruirui.”

It really was better if she abstained. If she got tipsy and Ruirui started crying, it would be a disaster. That little brat’s nose was getting sharper as he grew. If he smelled alcohol on her breath, he was liable to throw a fit and keep them up half the night.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle everything,” Duan Xiaolin assured her, pouring her half a glass. “Drink if you want to. If Ruirui makes a fuss later, I’ll take care of him.”

“Then I suppose a little won’t hurt.” Pei Xiqing hesitated for a split second before taking the glass. “It’s rare for all of us to finally get together like this. I’ll have a few drinks and join in the fun.”

“Good.”

The man held his own glass, a soft smile resting on his face as he watched her happily clink glasses with Tan Yuanxin and the rest of the table.

Noticing his intense gaze, Pei Xiqing leaned over and tapped her glass against his. “What’s wrong? Why are you staring at me like that?”

“Because I like you, naturally I want to look at you.”

Pei Xiqing hadn’t expected him to be so smooth in front of a whole table of people. Whether it was from the alcohol or his words, her cheeks flared with heat. She shot him a mock glare. “Are you going to drink or not?”

“I’ll drink.”

He clinked his glass against hers. Watching her throw her drink back, he smiled helplessly. “Slow down.”

She looked up at him, her beautiful, slightly glassy eyes silently urging him to finish his own drink.

Shaking his head in amusement, Duan Xiaolin mirrored her actions and downed his glass in a single gulp.

Pei Xiqing patted him on the shoulder approvingly. “Great job!”

Duan Xiaolin laughed softly. “Are you drunk already?”

“Not at all.” She cheerfully refilled her own glass and turned back to find her next drinking target.

Tan Yuanxin leaned over and offered Duan Xiaolin a cigarette. He accepted it but didn’t light it, merely rolling it thoughtfully between his fingers. “It hasn’t been easy for your team, either. You’ve worked hard recently. I’ve already pushed through a two-week vacation for your squad. Take a good rest during this time.”

Tan Yuanxin shook his head. “It’s not hard work, sir. As long as the base keeps improving and the people can survive, nothing we do is a burden.”

“A proper balance between work and rest will allow you to accomplish much more in the long run,” Duan Xiaolin replied. “Major General Ling Lang will be returning from the security zone by then. Your squad can report to him.”

Tan Yuanxin was pleasantly surprised by the arrangement. “Besides us, there are thousands of brothers stationed at the first base…”

“Go find Ling Lang when the time comes. He will make all the necessary arrangements.”

“Yes, sir!”

Driven by sheer habit, Tan Yuanxin and several of his men immediately stood up, snapping into flawless military posture and throwing crisp salutes, their disciplined military spirit fully on display.

Pei Xiqing was in the middle of taking a shot with Tang Yitong. Both women jumped, startled by the sudden, sharp movements.

Tang Yitong couldn’t hold back her complaints. “Brother Tan! What are you doing now?! I thought we were just having a meal! Seriously… are you guys ever going to let me enjoy a normal conversation?”

Tan Yuanxin smiled sheepishly, quickly sitting back down along with his comrades. “Sorry, sorry! Come on, let’s eat! We ordered so much food, we can’t let it go to waste!”

Pei Xiqing couldn’t help but steal a glance at Duan Xiaolin.

The man caught her eye and raised a subtle, inquiring eyebrow.

She gave a soft, amused snort. “We’re just trying to eat. Did you really have to make them salute you again?”

Duan Xiaolin smoothly ignored the accusation, ladling a bowl of fish soup and setting it in front of her. “It’s fresh. Drink some more.”

Pei Xiqing took a sip, eyeing him playfully. “Is that so?”

He simply watched her in comfortable silence, his eyes soft as he took in her every move.

Chapter 358: End

Dinner had ended, and the sky outside was already dark.

The party, however, was far from over. From inside the private room, the sounds of eating, drinking, and the occasional raucous shout from Tang Yitong drifted out into the night.

Pei Xiqing and Duan Xiaolin stood together on the balcony.

Looking out at the increasingly prosperous base under the night sky, she couldn’t help but sigh. “I never imagined that after being completely destroyed, these bases could actually be restored like this.”

“There will be even better news waiting for us in the future,” he said softly.

“Really?” Her cheeks were slightly flushed from the alcohol. She narrowed her eyes, looking up at him in a slight daze. “Then I’m really looking forward to it.”

He smiled. “I promise I won’t let you down.”

Leaning against the railing, the man placed a cigarette between his lips and slowly lit it. He hadn’t smoked in a long time; he had quit back when she was pregnant and no longer had any real craving for it. But seeing her right now—looking so soft, relaxed, and slightly tipsy, with her flushed cheeks and bright eyes—he suddenly felt the urge to ground himself.

Taking a deep drag, he tilted his head and exhaled a slow ring of smoke. “Xiqing,” he murmured, his voice low and husky, “sometimes you really need to learn…”

“Hmm?” She stepped closer, lifting her arms to drape loosely around his neck, her face mere inches from his. “Learn what?”

“Learn how to stop making people fall for you.”

Pei Xiqing blinked, then her eyes curved into a bright smile. “That’s an interesting way to put it. Do you like me too much?”

“I love you,” he corrected gently.

Her smile deepened. “I know.”

“So,” he murmured, his hand sliding to the small of her back to pull her flush against him, “could you do me a favor and let me be the only one? Don’t let anyone else like you.”

“How am I supposed to control what other people think?” she teased.

“Exactly,” he sighed helplessly. “Which means you’re probably never going to learn.”

“Why should I? I don’t want to.” She playfully pushed at his chest. “You’re the one who needs to learn. Learn how to relax a little. Do you know how many girls in this base have a crush on you? I haven’t complained a single bit, yet here you are, worrying first.”

“There are girls in the base who have a crush on me?” The man chuckled softly. “How come I didn’t know?”

“Because they don’t dare talk to you, and you never pay attention to them. Of course you wouldn’t know.”

Duan Xiaolin lowered his head, pressing a lingering kiss to the corner of her lips. “What if I can’t learn either? You’re the only one I have eyes for.”

Mindful of their friends just inside the room, Pei Xiqing’s face burned red. She quickly pushed him away. “I’ll deal with you later!”

With that, she spun around and darted back into the private room. Duan Xiaolin exhaled another plume of smoke, looking through the glass door. Watching Pei Xiqing chat and laugh with their friends inside, a fond, contented smile graced his lips.

Half a year passed in the blink of an eye.

In the wake of the natural disasters, the world was slowly healing. Everything was improving, little by little.

However, stray zombies and parasites still occasionally popped up in the wild. As long as there were rotting corpses and infected plants left in the wasteland, the virus could still spread and mutate. Until they found a way to completely eradicate the pathogen at its source, the base still had to rely on armed patrols to hunt down these wandering, latent threats.

Ling Lang had returned from his deployment in the security zone a month ago.

After taking a well-deserved month-long rest, he finally reemerged. By now, his stark white hair had grown long enough to be tied back with a simple rubber band.

Long Yan, who was busy nagging nearby—scolding Qiu Chao one second and lecturing Huihua the next—spotted him. “Are you planning to pursue a career in the arts?” she exclaimed, staring at his hair. “Or maybe join a rock band? Your hair is so long, did you forget how to cut it? You’re seriously out of uniform regulations, you know!”

Ling Lang lazily rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll cut it. I’ll get to it eventually… I just feel like my powers have gotten a bit stronger recently, so I haven’t really been paying attention to my hair.”

Pei Xiqing, who had just returned from walking Xiaobai, overheard this and walked over in surprise. “Ling Lang! Did your dual abilities level up again?”

Ling Lang casually took a sip from his milk carton. “Yeah, I’d say I’ve gotten a lot stronger. Right now, I could probably beat ten of you by myself.”

“Oh, please,” Pei Xiqing said, rolling her eyes. “You think you can take ten of me? Do you think the Qiong Snake is a vegetarian?”

She let go of Xiaobai’s leash. “Come on, you think I’m scared of you? Xiaobai! Qiong Snake! Get him! Go beat up this arrogant dual-ability idiot!”

Ling Lang laughed out loud. “I’m just joking!”

Xiaobai eagerly lunged forward, pouncing playfully on Ling Lang. After all, how could he ever actually fight her?

Out of the corner of her eye, Long Yan noticed someone approaching. Deliberately raising her voice, she gasped dramatically, “Hey, Ling Lang, what did you just say?! You want to pick a fight with Xiqing?! Oh my god, are you two seriously starting trouble again? You’re a grown man, Ling Lang, unbelievable! Don’t think that just because your abilities leveled up and your hair is a little longer, you can act so arrogant! Our Xiqing is no pushover, got it?!”

Ling Lang stared at her, completely baffled.

He was clearly just making a joke.

A second later, a heavy hand clapped down on his shoulder.

Ling Lang stiffened. He slowly looked up.

“Brother… you’re here.”

Ling Lang covered his face with his hand, groaning inwardly. He shot a glare at Long Yan and the others, who were visibly gloating. He had walked right into their trap.

Ling Lang waved his hands defensively. “Brother, please, listen to me. I was just talking casually, I definitely didn’t mean it like that…”

The tall, broad-shouldered man radiated a commanding aura. Dressed in simple, loose-fitting athletic wear, Duan Xiaolin looked as though he had just finished training himself. He casually rolled up his cuffs. “Perfect timing. Your vacation is officially over. Let’s see how much you’ve improved.”

Ling Lang sighed in defeat. “I finally get a good rest, and you’re already putting me back to work.”

“Stop talking nonsense.”

Duan Xiaolin led him to the open clearing outside the courtyard. Ling Lang trudged after him, looking utterly miserable. “Brother, you’re a successful man with a wife and kid now! Why do you still enjoy disciplining me so much? I’m an adult, I’m not the same kid I used to be, so stop treating me like one…”

What answered him was a blindingly fast fist.

Now that Duan Xiaolin’s body and powers had fully recovered, his strike carried fierce, overwhelming force. It was nearly impossible to defend against.

The fist grazed the very tip of Ling Lang’s nose as he desperately twisted sideways to dodge. Realizing just how terrifyingly strong his older brother had become, Ling Lang instantly dropped his laid-back attitude, his posture shifting into high alert.

Pei Xiqing dragged over a fluffy mat, sitting down with Xiaobai in her arms to watch the show. Behind her, Long Yan rested her chin in her hand. “Hmm… not bad at all.”

Both combatants were incredibly skilled. Duan Xiaolin had truly returned to his absolute prime. Getting a front-row seat to a high-level spar like this was a rare treat.

Pei Xiqing cracked a melon seed between her teeth and nodded approvingly. “Not bad, not bad.”

“They need a proper spar to keep their skills sharp,” Long Yan commented. “Ling Lang is practically unbeatable out there now; Brother Duan is the only one who can still keep him in line.”

When the two men paused for a quick breather, Pei Xiqing ran over, cheering happily. “Keep it up, Brother Duan! You too, Ling Lang!”

She tossed a bottle of water to Ling Lang, who caught it effortlessly. “It’s been a long time since I felt pressure like that,” Ling Lang panted, grinning at Duan Xiaolin. “Brother, your body has recovered perfectly.”

Pei Xiqing reached up to wipe the sweat from her husband’s forehead, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she fanned the flames. “Brother Duan, if you can’t even beat Ling Lang today, don’t bother coming back for dinner tonight.”

The man let out a low, breathless chuckle. Cupping her face in his hands, he leaned down and kissed her lips firmly. “Okay.”

No matter what she asked of him.

He would promise her everything.

[The End]

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