Chapter 97

Sure enough, Shen Ran saw Qin Yue in the Happy Community. Just two months ago, he was still the leader of a squad, leading dozens of people. Now, he was only accompanied by a one-armed man named Li Ming.

It turns out that Qin Yue’s parents were betrayed, and even Qin Yue couldn’t escape the fate of betrayal.

He had a strong dislike for Qin Yue, as he used to like to hang around in front of Sister Jiang, giving her gifts for no reason, and every time he saw Sister Jiang, his eyes would light up. It was obvious that he had ulterior motives!

But his judgment of people was not very good, as he was actually mingling with people like Yao Xiaoyue, and of course, his brother was the same.

Qin Yue didn’t expect Shen Ran to come to find him on purpose, and he was surprised that Shen Dongming and Shen Ran were actually cousins. He said, “Come on in; do you have something to find me for?”

Shen Dongming shrugged, glanced at the stern-faced Shen Ran, and asked, “Should I leave?”

Shen Ran gave him a sidelong glance and said, “No need to leave, bro. You should also use your brain more, not just your age.”

Shen Dongming widened his eyes and asked, “What?”

Even Qin Yue looked at Shen Ran with confusion, showing a puzzled expression.

Shen Ran sneered, the shortest of them, and sat down on the side, getting straight to the point: “You all know Yao Xiaoyue, right?”

Shen Dongming suddenly realized, “You came for Yao Xiaoyue’s matter?”

Qin Yue frowned and nodded, asking, “You also know Yao Xiaoyue? Did you have any grievances with her? Yao Xiaoyue is not simple; she’s not an ordinary person. Have you had any trouble with her?”

Shen Ran looked at Qin Yue and was surprised that this man had some brains. Shen Dongming was particularly confused and said, “I think Yao Xiaoyue is pretty good. We encountered many dangers on our way north, and she helped a lot. She doesn’t seem like a bad person. Moreover, didn’t Yao Xiaoyue say that she saved you and Li Ming?”

Qin Yue chuckled dismissively, “Yao Xiaoyue didn’t save me and Li Ming. Even without her, I could have handled those few zombies.” He ignored Shen Dongming and asked Shen Ran, “You came to find me for her, so does Yao Xiaoyue have any connection to Jiang Nian?”

Shen Dongming was even more puzzled, “How did Jiang Nian get involved in this?”

It’s no wonder that Qin Yue thought of Jiang Nian. He had spent some time with Shen Ran, and this little guy scrutinized everyone who got close to Jiang Nian as if he could see through any hidden impurities in them. If he discovered something, he would definitely take action to eliminate it. Jiang Nian was the most important person to Shen Ran, the one he cared most about. Besides Jiang Nian, who else could it be?

Shen Ran gave a dumbfounded look to Shen Dongming and said, “I told you, after the bodyguards hid me in the van, it was Sister Jiang who saved me and brought me back to the Imperial Capital, right?”

Shen Dongming said, “Yes, what’s the point?”

“So, while I was hiding in the van, I saw one of Sister Jiang’s good friends climbing onto the van by stepping on her shoulders. And she didn’t care about whether Sister Jiang lived or died. She intentionally threw her off and climbed over the wall herself. What’s even more interesting is that she didn’t feel any guilt. When she met her former classmates, she pretended to cry, saying that she would live a good life for Sister Jiang, who sacrificed herself to save her. She said Sister Jiang died to save her, so she would cherish her life and see the world for her. Isn’t that interesting?”

Shen Ran sneered, “If it weren’t for Sister Jiang, who, at the critical moment, unlocked her power-based ability and got us out, we might have both died in that van, devoured by zombies, without a complete corpse. Shen Dongming, would your ability be as strong as it is today? Qin Yue, even if you safely make it to the Imperial Capital, can your parents survive until you return? And don’t forget, this safe zone has hundreds of thousands of people, and we don’t even know how many of them will make it out alive!”

Shen Dongming and Qin Yue were both shocked, apparently understanding that the good friend of Jiang Nian that Shen Ran was talking about was Yao Xiaoyue!

Qin Yue clenched his fist, his face turning cold. He couldn’t help but recall that when he was still in City A, Yao Xiaoyue deliberately showed her injuries to gain sympathy. She claimed to have been betrayed and escaped with the help of her friend. At the time, he felt something was off, so he kept his guard up. But he never imagined that the situation was more complicated than he thought. Yao Xiaoyue wasn’t betrayed; she betrayed someone, and she was deliberately trying to murder that person, who happened to be Jiang Nian!

The feeling of being betrayed by a trusted friend was something he understood all too well.

Qin Yue’s heart went cold, and he broke out in a cold sweat on his back. If Jiang Nian had actually died in that alley… he almost wouldn’t have dared to think about it. Without Jiang Nian, he might have become a lonely and helpless individual.

“So that’s how it is. Yao Xiaoyue actually told us that it was her friend who betrayed her and helped her escape…”

Shen Ran said, “What? She really has the nerve to say that!”

Shen Dongming’s heart also sank. He had previously experienced Jiang Nian’s abilities, which had progressed rapidly thanks to the unique training techniques she had given him. It was these abilities that saved him from dying on the journey north. After returning to the safe zone, and especially after hearing from his uncle about Jiang Nian’s actions, he had gained a deeper appreciation for her. He had also considered that Jiang Nian’s strong sense of justice and her selfless help to others were due to her good heart and her hope for humanity, as well as the presence of many good people around her. However, he now realized that Jiang Nian had experienced betrayal and faced life-and-death situations long before.

Shen Dongming shook his head and sighed. “I didn’t expect Yao Xiaoyue to be like this. She was very helpful to us all along the way, and I thought she was a good person. I really didn’t see this coming.”

Shen Ran chuckled. “That’s why I said you’ve aged without growing a brain. Anyway, Yao Xiaoyue is a very dangerous woman. She’s clearly a murderer but still acts righteously. I won’t let her get close to Sister Jiang. I’m telling you all this not because I expect you to do anything, but because I don’t want to see brainless people like you being manipulated and causing trouble for my sister Jiang!”

Shen Dongming touched his nose, somewhat helpless. “Don’t worry; now that I know Yao Xiaoyue isn’t clean in her intentions, I won’t let her get close to Jiang Nian. When I get back, I’ll talk to her and ask her to leave.”

Qin Yue lowered his gaze, realizing that he should find an opportunity to eliminate Yao Xiaoyue to prevent future trouble. He hadn’t taken her seriously before, but now that she posed a danger to him, he couldn’t afford to let her be.

Shen Ran, seeing that Shen Dongming and Qin Yue understood, stood up and said, “It doesn’t matter. If you want to die, just don’t drag my sister Jiang into it. I’m leaving.”

Shen Dongming asked in a puzzled tone, “Aren’t you going to the hospital? Where are you going?”

Where else could he be going? Of course, he was going to find his sister Jiang! He couldn’t believe he was surrounded by so many idiots and morons, and he actually knew them. It was a disgrace to his life! Moreover, he couldn’t keep the fact that Yao Xiaoyue had arrived in the Imperial Capital from her, and he had to inform her about it. He also needed to tell her about the foolish actions of Shen Dongming and Qin Yue so that she could be on guard. Men’s words can’t always be trusted!

Jiang Nian wasn’t surprised by Yao Xiaoyue’s arrival. After all, Yao Xiaoyue was a survivor, having survived in the apocalypse for over a decade. She not only understood the situation in Huaxia (China) but likely had some knowledge of the global situation as well. Self-preservation was not a problem for her.

“She can come if she wants, but if she dares to provoke me again, I’ll make her cry.”

“Sure, Sister Jiang, I’ll help you fight her!”

Unfortunately, he was just a brain domain ability user. So he didn’t need Sister Jiang’s help; he would handle her privately.

However, Brain Domain Evolvers were a rare breed. Currently, in the entire safe zone, the only known Brain Domain ability user are Shen Ran and Professor Yang. That’s why, when Professor Yang and other researchers from across the country returned to the Imperial Capital, Shen Ran was allowed to enter the research institute to study and develop a vaccine for the zombie virus in the shortest possible time.

Shen Ran also wanted to be a useful person, like Sister Jiang.

…

Qin Yue had developed a deep resentment towards Yao Xiaoyue. The only relief was that he was smart enough not to be deceived by Yao Xiaoyue’s clumsy methods. Otherwise… he didn’t dare to think about the consequences, and he was breaking out in a cold sweat on his back.

Of course, he didn’t want Jiang Nian to misunderstand him. He couldn’t believe that Shen Ran would keep this information from her, so after Shen Ran was dragged away by Shen Dongming, he went to find Jiang Nian.

She seemed to be the same as before, as if Yao Xiaoyue’s appearance hadn’t affected her. Even the way she looked at him was the same, with warmth and hope in her smile.

At that moment, he suddenly felt at ease. “Jiang Nian, you know everything Shen Ran told you, right?”

Jiang Nian nodded. “Yes, what’s wrong?”

Qin Yue said seriously, “I met Yao Xiaoyue at a gas station in City A. Initially, Yao Xiaoyue said she had been betrayed by a friend and wanted to go north with us. Her exchange condition was that she would tell us about her experience with awakening abilities. Later, I found out that she was intentionally deceiving me, so I sent her away. Afterward, we encountered her again when Shen Dongming, who is also Shen Ran’s cousin, and his team were attacked by a mutated snake. At the time, Li Ming had lost half of his arm and hadn’t fully recovered. Shen Dongming’s team had a healing-type ability user, so we traveled together to the Imperial Capital. Yao Xiaoyue was also there, but we weren’t on the same side, and we had no real relationship with her.”

Jiang Nian remained silent for a moment, then smiled and said, “Why are you explaining all this?”

Qin Yue was momentarily taken aback. “…I was afraid you might misunderstand.”

“What would I misunderstand?” Jiang Nian shook her head and said, “I have had issues with Yao Xiaoyue, and I understand who she is. Don’t worry; if she ever tries to scheme against me again, it won’t be easy for her. What she probably can’t forget is my spatial jade pendant. I’m afraid she hasn’t given up on it yet.”

Qin Yue smiled faintly and nodded.

He appeared harmless in front of Jiang Nian, but as soon as he turned his back, he started planning how to make Yao Xiaoyue disappear completely.

However, finding an opportunity for this was quite difficult. After being persuaded to leave by Shen Dongming, Yao Xiaoyue, despite harboring extreme resentment, was smart enough not to create a scene. In fact, she made all kinds of gestures in front of Shen Dongming, claiming it was all a misunderstanding and expressing the hope that Jiang Nian would forgive her. Since the military couldn’t accommodate her, she would have to find her own way to survive.

This left Shen Dongming utterly bewildered, thinking he might have been mistaken. But the words “I want to live well for Jiang Nian’s sake” were also spoken by Yao Xiaoyue, sending a shiver down his spine, and he decided not to think too much about it.

After leaving the military, Yao Xiaoyue joined a team of ability users led by a future powerhouse. They now had around a hundred members, including both ability users and ordinary people. As a Level 3 water-based ability user, Yao Xiaoyue became a highly sought-after figure on the team. She performed exceptionally well, much better than the average woman, who would cry and tremble with fear, unable to carry her own weight when facing zombies. In fact, she was stronger than most men, naturally gaining attention.

Yao Xiaoyue was skilled at winning people over, and within a short span of two weeks, she became the deputy team leader of the ability user team. The team members praised her and placed their trust in her.

Upon hearing the news that Li Ming had gathered, Qin Yue was even more determined to deal with Yao Xiaoyue quickly.

She was cunning and ruthless, and keeping her around would only lead to endless trouble.

Unfortunately, the opportunity remained elusive until a few days later, when the safe zone faced a crisis that required full alert. Mutated zombie rats had appeared from somewhere, infesting the southern part of the city. The teams sent to clear the zombies and rescue survivors had almost been wiped out. Fortunately, an electric fence separated the infected area, or the consequences would have been unimaginable if the rats had run north.

However, the electric fence was only a temporary solution, and tens of thousands of residents in the northern part of the city were facing danger. General Shen made a decisive move, dispatching troops and mobilizing ability user teams from the safe zone for a massive operation.

Jiang Nian, Qin Yue, and Li Ming naturally joined the mission.

Yao Xiaoyue also brought her team to participate. She wasn’t afraid of zombie rats; the majority of them were only at Level 1 or 2, and while they had numbers and speed on their side, she could create a water area with her water-based abilities. Electric ability users could then release lightning to electrocute the rats, killing a group of them at once. Level 3 rats were slightly tougher, with harder bones and fur, and by Level 4, they could be considered rat kings. However, it was still the early days of the apocalypse, and these rats wouldn’t evolve so quickly.

She vowed that this time she would show more people her abilities and let them know that she was no less than Jiang Nian.

But this time, she had miscalculated. Although the main threat came from the swarming zombie rats, she had forgotten that this area was already a danger zone. In addition to the rats, there were cats and dogs, two zoos in the southern part of the city, countless pet stores, and, of course, zombies!

So she was destined to pay the price for her complacency.

Just after luring the zombie rats into a large pit of earth created by an Earth ability user and burning them to death with fire-based abilities, Yao Xiaoyue led her team further into the area. Some people mentioned that the military had suggested not venturing in too deep alone due to the dangers, but Yao Xiaoyue dismissed their concerns, saying, “They’re just zombie rats. We can attract the nearby rats, like we did earlier, and take them all out. No need to be afraid.”

After successfully attracting and eliminating two waves of rats without major issues, their guard naturally lowered. However, when they moved further in and set traps, waiting for the rats to fall into their net, they suddenly encountered several much larger creatures following the rats!

Unexpected turn of events!

“Wow, that’s huge! Is that a tiger? A zombie tiger?”

“What do we do now? Zombie cats and dogs are already tough; won’t the tiger be even tougher?”

“Damn it, why are you standing there? Run, quick!”

Yao Xiaoyue had already started retreating when the zombie tiger appeared. Before the others could finish their sentences, she was sprinting away. The group of more than ten people dared not delay and quickly followed suit. However, as they ran, they stopped abruptly when they saw another zombie tiger ahead of them!

Yao Xiaoyue’s heart sank. This was trouble!

…

Qin Yue had been keeping a close eye on Yao Xiaoyue’s movements and had instructed Li Ming to do the same. After a while, when Li Ming finally returned, he leaned in and whispered in Qin Yue’s ear. Qin Yue’s eyes gleamed, and he said, “Where are they now?”

Li Ming snorted and replied, “Yao Xiaoyue is trying to make a name for herself. She led her team further into the area and ran into two zombie tigers. She seems to have no idea what ‘danger’ means.”

Qin Yue pondered for a moment and said, “I’ll go take a look.”

“Be careful.”

“I know.”