The next day.
Brother Hu’s family owned a pickup truck and an SUV. Considering that supplies loaded onto the pickup would be exposed and likely attract unwanted attention, the group chose to take the SUV.
After taking a portion of the supplies from Brother Hu’s house, they went to Liuzi’s house at the entrance of the village and prepared to take all of his supplies as well.
Once the loading was nearly finished, Ye Huizhou told Ye Xihe to get into the vehicle first.
Lin Xue naturally walked over and opened the car door, preparing to get in.
“Hey! What are you doing?” Xu Wen slammed the door shut with a bang.
Lin Xue looked at him as though it were obvious.
“Getting in the car.”
Xu Wen was baffled.
“Why are you getting in the car?”
Lin Xue widened her eyes.
“How am I supposed to leave with you if I don’t get in?”
Gu Zhuoye let out a mocking laugh.
“Who said we were taking you with us?”
“You saved me, so of course you’re responsible for me.”
Even Ye Xihe could not help turning to look at her.
What kind of logic was that?
Was she trying to cling to them now?
Kindly, Ye Xihe said, “Following us will be much more dangerous. You can go to the protection zone with the villagers.”
Lin Xue stared at Ye Xihe.
She seemed to have completely forgotten that Ye Xihe had been the first person to remove the chain from her ankle yesterday.
In her eyes, Ye Xihe was weak and useless, surviving only because the strong members of the team protected her. Even in the Apocalypse, she was still living comfortably.
Why?
Lin Xue’s gaze settled on Ye Xihe’s face.
Because of that face?
She wasn’t ugly either.
Could she replace Ye Xihe and remain with the team instead?
Thinking this, she snapped, “If you like going to the protection zone so much, then you go!”
The more she thought about it, the more unfair it felt. She even raised a hand and shoved toward Ye Xihe.
Before she could touch her, her wrist was seized by a large hand with distinct knuckles.
Ye Huizhou lowered his brows, hostility rising in his eyes.
He forcefully flung Lin Xue’s hand aside.
Startled by his gaze, Lin Xue instinctively took a step backward.
Ye Xihe was speechless.
Just as she was about to say something, Ye Huizhou stuffed her into the vehicle.
Without sparing Lin Xue another glance, he spoke in a tone that allowed no argument.
“Get lost.”
After that, the group ignored Lin Xue completely, climbed into the SUV with practiced efficiency, started the engine, and left her standing in a cloud of exhaust.
…
“What kind of person is she? Xihe, you saved a real ungrateful wolf.”
Xu Wen had witnessed everything and was still fuming.
Expressionless, Ye Xihe replied,
“The Farmer and the Snake, Mr. Dongguo and the Wolf, Lü Dongbin and the Dog, Hao Jian and the Old Lady, Ye Xihe and Lin Xue.”
The vehicle fell silent.
Then someone snorted with laughter.
A moment later, Xu Wen burst out laughing.
Sitting in the front passenger seat, Gu Zhuoye looked at Ye Xihe’s little face through the rearview mirror, the corners of his attractive lips curving upward.
Three black lines appeared on Ye Xihe’s forehead.
Then she noticed that even her brother was smiling!
“You… all… of… you!”
Ye Xihe clenched her fists, practically breathing fire.
After joking around for a while, her mood improved considerably.
She began researching F City.
Before the Apocalypse, F City had been a famous tourist destination.
When the Apocalypse began, however, it happened to be the off-season for tourism, so there should not have been too many people there.
That was one of the reasons Ye Huizhou had agreed to take the longer route through F City. If the population had been too large, there would likely be massive zombie hordes, making it extremely dangerous.
Ye Xihe suddenly thought of the plot of the original novel.
According to the original timeline, Ye Huizhou had not returned yet. He should still have been in the beginner area, leveling up and fighting monsters.
Frowning, Ye Xihe became increasingly troubled.
Ever since she had Transmigrated and she and Ye Huizhou never became separated, the plot had completely diverged from the original story.
Even the timing of Ye Huizhou’s return was different.
A sudden realization struck her.
Originally, Ye Huizhou should have returned several days after his sister went missing, and at that point his ability had only just awakened and was still very weak.
But now, he had returned on the very first day of the Apocalypse, and his ability was anything but weak.
Ye Xihe abruptly raised her head and looked toward her brother, who was driving with effortless confidence.
Her heartbeat quickened.
Why…
Why had everything been different right from the beginning?
Perhaps her gaze had been too intense.
Ye Huizhou glanced at the rearview mirror.
Their eyes met.
Seeing the shock in Ye Xihe’s eyes, he raised an eyebrow, a trace of scrutiny appearing on his face.
Ye Xihe quickly tilted her head and gave him a smile.
Gu Zhuoye silently observed the interaction between the siblings and smiled with amusement.
As they drew closer to F City, Su Nian’s unease became increasingly obvious.
“Sister Su Nian.”
Ye Xihe rummaged through her pocket and pulled out a piece of candy, placing it into Su Nian’s hand.
She had looted it from Wangji Village.
Su Nian looked down at the candy resting in her palm.
She knew Ye Xihe had noticed her emotions and was trying to comfort her.
“Thank you, Xihe.”
She closed her fingers around the candy.
Noticing the gratitude in Su Nian’s eyes, a gentle smile spread across Ye Xihe’s face.
“I want candy too, Little Sister Xihe!”
Xu Wen immediately started shouting.
Ye Xihe quickly handed him a piece as well.
When she turned back around, she found Gu Zhuoye’s large hand stretched out expectantly in front of her.
Ye Xihe: …
Gu Zhuoye smiled at her.
Resigned, she dug out another piece of candy and handed it over.
“Everyone else gets one, but not your brother?”
Ye Huizhou complained.
Ye Xihe personally stuffed a candy into his mouth.
Every single one of them was older than her, yet they were all trying to steal her candy!
Ye Xihe grumbled inwardly.
Watching her teammates, Su Nian felt warmth spread through her heart.
She pressed her lips together and smiled as well.
The atmosphere inside the vehicle became lively.
After everyone joked around for a while, Ye Huizhou grew serious.
“F City doesn’t have a protection zone. If there are still survivors there, the situation could be quite complicated. However, there is an energy station there, and Professor Niu, an expert in biopharmaceuticals and genetic engineering, along with his team, is stationed at that energy station. Professor Niu also needs to return to the Central Protection Zone.”
When Ye Huizhou first remembered that Professor Niu was in F City, he had actually considered changing their plans and avoiding the city altogether.
In his previous life, rumors had spread among survivors that Professor Niu had developed both a viral serum and a vaccine.
A team like that would inevitably attract countless dangers and hidden threats.
He did not want his sister exposed to that risk.
But if he could bring Professor Niu over to their side, then when the time came, the professor might become another protective shield for Xihe.
When it came to Xihe’s safety, Ye Huizhou never minded adding extra layers of protection.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Xihe asked, “Are we going to travel together with Professor Niu’s team?”
“We’ll assess the situation when we get there. If they need our help, we shouldn’t stand by and do nothing.”
After a pause, he added,
“But the priority of every action must be our own safety.”
Gu Zhuoye continued, “As a leading authority in genetic engineering and biopharmaceuticals, Professor Niu and his team have the greatest chance of developing a viral serum and vaccine.”
Xu Wen and Su Nian immediately sat up straighter.
Su Nian frowned.
“The Apocalypse has already been going on for nearly a month. Could Professor Niu and his team have already left?”
“If they’ve left, they’ve left. We’re only passing through. Reuniting with Professor Niu’s team isn’t our primary objective.”
Ye Xihe desperately tried to recall the original novel.
Then she made a horrifying discovery.
The original novel had never mentioned Professor Niu at all.
Because the original Ye Huizhou had never gone to F City in the first place!
“What are you thinking about, Xihe?”
Ye Xihe looked toward the rearview mirror ahead and met Gu Zhuoye’s half-smiling gaze.
She blinked her beautiful eyes.
The look in Gu Zhuoye’s eyes darkened.
Meanwhile, Ye Xihe’s heart skipped a beat.
She always felt as though Gu Zhuoye could somehow see through everything she was thinking.