Lu Yun did not immediately respond to that soft “Darling” or the hand Li Yingxue had reached out. Instead, he carefully re-examined the laboratory.
This place was indeed not a conventional lab. It was somewhat empty, lacking rows of crowded workbenches and precision instruments. Along the walls were only a few unidentified, simply designed silver devices, and two or three more Hibernation Pods of the same model.
Because of the shadow that had been guarding this place after the apocalypse, the walls and floor were still unusually clean—almost untouched by the filth, bloodstains, or dust typical of the end times.
If not for the faint smell of rust and dust in the air, and the deathly silence outside the window, this place was so clean it hardly felt like part of the apocalypse at all. It stood in stark contrast to the chaotic, desperate world outside.
Not far from Li Yingxue’s Hibernation Pod, in a corner, there was a simple military cot. Beside it was a small pile of carefully organized supplies, mostly canned food and bottled water.
That should have been the resting spot and supply storage used by the shadow who had been guarding Li Yingxue. Lu Yun’s gaze lingered briefly on those supplies.
“Darling,” Li Yingxue’s voice sounded again, carrying dependence, “where did you just go?”
Lu Yun withdrew his gaze and answered casually, “To find food.”
“Food?” Li Yingxue tilted his head slightly, revealing just the right amount of confusion. “Why would Darling need to go find food?”
He looked like a precious treasure trapped in a glass dome, completely unaware of the world-shattering changes outside, still thinking in terms of the pre-apocalypse logic.
Lu Yun lowered his eyes, looking directly at him. That pale face, those empty, unfocused eyes—yet somehow they seemed capable of reflecting the darkest thoughts in a person’s heart.
Looking at those eyes, Lu Yun slowly curved his lips into a clearly malicious smile. After all, the other person couldn’t see it.
“Because the apocalypse has come,” he said evenly, deliberately slowing his speech, his tone carrying a hint of coldness. “Because the Zombie Virus has broken out. Have you ever seen zombies?”
Li Yingxue gently shook his head and instinctively tightened his fingers.
Lu Yun continued in a faintly cruel tone, “They have no eyeballs—just rotting sockets. Their skin is ash-gray, covered in corpse spots and festering wounds. Their bodies are stained with dried and fresh blood. Some have intestines hanging out, or organs half-exposed, swaying as they move. Through the decaying flesh, you can see pale bones underneath…”
With every meticulous description, Li Yingxue’s body trembled slightly. His face seemed to grow even paler. He looked utterly frightened, unconsciously grabbing onto Lu Yun’s clothes and pressing closer, trying to seek shelter in his embrace.
Lu Yun, as if unaware of his fear, continued in the same flat tone, “They bite anyone alive they see, and their strength is terrifying. Almost everyone in this city… is dead. You’re lucky—you entered the Hibernation Pod early.”
He paused, then added with a hint of false pity, “So you didn’t see it—how they chew on fresh flesh torn from people’s bodies, then turn and pounce on the next target. That might be their own child, or their family member when they were alive.”
【……】
【I swear I want to punch Lu Yun so badly! Does he even know how to speak like a human?!】
【So disgusting, he did that on purpose, right? Just change his name to Lu Dog already!】
【Waaah don’t listen to him, beauty! Why did he have to meet this lunatic Lu Yun? My poor baby is getting scared to tears. He really has no heart!】
In truth, Li Yingxue’s mind did not ripple much. Fear was there, but more of his attention was on something else.
What Lu Yun said confirmed the faint voice he had heard during hibernation. So it was true—was he really that so-called “Cannon Fodder” destined to die?
He buried his face deeply into Lu Yun’s chest, his body trembling slightly as if terrified, while in reality he was simply hiding his overly calm expression.
He was already mentally and physically exhausted. He had neither the strength nor the patience to squeeze out tears to continue the act. Moreover, he was freezing—only by pressing against this man’s solid, warm chest could he steal a bit of heat.
“Darling, I’m scared,” he muttered from against Lu Yun’s chest, his voice trembling perfectly.
Lu Yun did not push him away, nor did he show any intention of comforting him. He simply allowed him to lean there.
For a moment, Lu Yun felt a faint sense of boredom.
It was just an NPC with a pretty face—weak, timid, only knowing how to hide in someone else’s arms when frightened. That slight curiosity he had felt earlier, born from the other’s appearance and unusual reaction, quickly faded.
He grabbed Li Yingxue’s arm with some force and pulled him off himself.
“Don’t be afraid,” he said. His expression remained cold, but his tone deliberately mimicked gentleness, creating a strange sense of contradiction.
Li Yingxue obediently sat upright again, though one hand still subconsciously held onto Lu Yun.
“Darling, I’m so cold,” he complained softly, the word “Darling” coming more and more naturally, as if he truly believed it.
Lu Yun showed no emotional reaction. He looked no different from when he methodically cleared monsters in any other instance.
【Cold-blooded, heartless man. The beauty throws himself at you and you push him away!】
【Exactly! Doesn’t he know to hug him when he’s cold?!】
【A lifelong single for sure, Lu God.】
……
Li Yingxue curled his legs up, shrinking himself into a smaller ball to preserve warmth.
He heard the man beside him walk away a few steps, fiddling with something in the distance. Soon after, the crisp crackling of flames licking at wood rang out, and a wave of warmth slowly spread through the air.
The suffocating cold in the atmosphere was eased somewhat. Li Yingxue moved slightly and exhaled into his palms; a faint white mist vanished instantly.
“Darling,” he called softly toward the fire.
Lu Yun did not look at him. He was slowly adding another piece of wood into the fire. The flickering flames danced in his deep eyes.
After Li Yingxue called again uneasily, he finally stood up. His tall figure cast a long shadow in the firelight, enveloping Li Yingxue. He walked over to the Hibernation Pod.
Li Yingxue lifted his face. Relying on the direction of the voice and warmth, he accurately faced Lu Yun and timidly opened his arms toward him.
“Darling, can you help me?” he asked softly. “I want… to get closer to the fire.” His pale face seemed faintly warmed by the glow of the flames.