As soon as Zhou Ziqi and Ruan Qingan entered the meeting room, Lu Ting sat on one side of the conference table, while Lillian stood on the other side, her eyes fixed intently on them.

Lu Ting, his initial respect gone, said in a deep voice, "Mr. Zhou."

But Zhou Ziqi seemed not to hear anything and sat down in the chair. He was clearly the one being picked on, but he acted as if he had come to see the two of them out of great compassion.

Ruan Qingan stood behind him, holding a knife in one hand.

"Just say what's on your mind, I'm very busy."

Zhou Ziqi said casually, without the slightest panic, and even leisurely took out a ribbon from his bag and tied it around Ruan Qing'an's wrist.

Ruan Qing'an said with a blank expression, "...Boss, be serious."

"Okay, okay, I got it."

Listening to the two talking as if no one else was around, Lu Ting couldn't help but frown. Zhou Ziqi's attitude was as if he was being treated like a decoration. The superhuman team that was sent to capture him didn't even have the courage to speak loudly to Zhou Ziqi!

When did Zhou Ziqi, a researcher, gain such power at the Third Human Base?

Most importantly, where do we place these two leaders?!

Thinking of this, Lu Ting's face darkened. It seemed that Jia Lan was right. If Zhou Ziqi wasn't given a warning, the base would be in chaos!

Lu Ting's attitude also changed: "Zhou Ziqi, is this how you treat someone when it comes to the safety of the base? Don't forget, in this apocalypse, who is it that allows you to have a safe place to conduct research?"

"This is really interesting..."

Zhou Ziqi's smile deepened as he looked at Lu Ting with a leisurely air: "Is there anything else you want to say? Please continue."

Lu Ting pointed at Lillian: "Heh, this is something you should explain to the base. Listen to what your good student has to say, Zhou Ziqi. Don't let down the base's huge investment in the research institute."

"Oh, it was Lillian who was looking for me."

Zhou Ziqi glanced at Lillian and said with a half-smile.

Whenever Lillian saw Zhou Ziqi smile at her like that, she felt as if she were being stared at by a venomous snake. Even though she was confident of victory and had the help of Sister Jia Lan and Chief Lu, she still felt a vague unease, but the unease was too faint.

Lillian suppressed her unease and threw the information she had collected onto Zhou Ziqi's desk.

"Teacher Zhou, I discovered all of these within a month."

"Research that can reduce the alienation of superhumans should be the most important thing, and it should be the top priority that Chief Lu and the others requested to develop first with the allocated funds. How could you secretly change the research direction without authorization?"

"And this, the injection that enhances the abilities of superhumans, you clearly developed it a long time ago, why did you hide it? You devoted a lot of time and energy to other things, all for your own personal gain, trying to obtain power."

Lillian paused: "As the chief researcher of the Third Human Base, Professor Zhou, you have taken over the most important resources of the entire base, yet you still harm the interests of the superhumans."

"If there were a breakthrough in the injection to reduce mutation, and if there were a way to make superhumans grow faster, the superhuman team wouldn't have lost so many people. Professor Zhou—this is all because you insisted on your own way, secretly changed the research, and sought personal gain!"

Lillian spoke with conviction, and the entire conference room fell silent, but Zhou Ziqi suddenly burst into laughter.

He picked up the documents on the table and glanced at them.

Inside were his research data from the past month, as well as Lillian's own conjectures and deductions, but Zhou Ziqi showed no anger at being betrayed, remaining calm as if he knew everything.

Lu Ting said, "Zhou Ziqi, do you have an explanation to give?"

"The superhuman team is out collecting supplies, protecting the base, and holding off wave after wave of zombie hordes. Professor Zhou, don't you think it's selfish of you to use the supplies they risked their lives for while secretly researching your own things and not considering their needs?"

Lillian spoke earnestly.

Meeting the gazes of the two men, Zhou Ziqi casually tossed the documents aside: "I do have something to say in my defense."

"you say."

“I’m not doing it secretly, I’m doing it openly and honestly.”

Zhou Ziqi looked at Lillian: "Do you really think I'm completely unaware of your little tricks? I stopped following the research direction you gave me a long time ago, and besides, I haven't been trying to hide anything."

"There's nothing I can do. It's your professional knowledge that's lacking. I've laid it out on the table for you to see, but you still haven't noticed anything wrong."

These words were like trampling on Lillian and Lu Ting's pride—hey, didn't expect that, did you? I didn't even have the intention of hiding it from you. Who told you to be so stupid and not understand?

Lu Ting, being the leader of the base, could barely control his emotions, but Lillian couldn't take it anymore.

She clenched her fists tightly and looked at Zhou Ziqi: "Since you knew all along, why did you let me stay in the research lab for a month, just watching me secretly do my dirty work, deliberately humiliating me?"

"oh?"

Zhou Ziqi raised an eyebrow: "To be honest, if you weren't here today, I wouldn't even bother with you. Anyway, it's just data that I can remember, so take it if you want."

"Yes, and then when they were unhappy, they disposed of me!"

Lillian yelled back.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Ziqi said, "Deal with you? You're overthinking it, Lillian. Why would I lay a hand on you? To be frank, you don't seem to have any influence over me, do you?"

"As for the research you stole... to be honest, it's all my old stuff, I've long since considered it garbage."

"Besides, you're quite interesting to me."

Zhou Ziqi's fingertips tapped the tabletop, as gentle as a breeze and as bright as the moon, displaying a graceful and charming beauty. He looked at Lillian with eyes as expressive as those of a Peking Opera performer, his gaze carrying a profound meaning.

He spoke slowly and deliberately, his tone malicious: "You hate me, yet you act respectful on the surface, carefully avoiding being discovered."

"Your performance is far more valuable than your research."

Upon hearing this, Ruan Qing'an, who was standing behind Zhou Ziqi as if he were invisible, couldn't help but glance at him—this scoundrel's mouth is really venomous. He looks all smiles, but when he speaks, he goes straight to the heart.

As expected, Lillian did not calm down at all; her eyes were bloodshot with anger.

Inferiority complex, jealousy, and hatred were mixed together.

Lillian laughed uncontrollably, her face almost contorted with rage: "I really... I really hate the way you look, Zhou Ziqi, you're always so damn good at this!"

"You were my junior in college, yet you were able to skip a grade and even become my teacher. The research I painstakingly completed, you could surpass with just one night's work!"

"Even now... because of the slightest threat, the slightest possibility, I'm afraid of you, so afraid that you might kill me at any moment, I'm terrified, and yet you know everything, but you look at me like a clown because you're so anxious!!"

As Lillian continued to accuse him, Zhou Ziqi's smile finally faded, and he withdrew his hand from the table.

He lowered his voice: "Are you trying to say that I'm pressuring you?"

"Isn't that right?!"

"From beginning to end, it was you who kept comparing me to others."

Zhou Ziqi seemed to have lost interest. He leaned back, his head resting against Ruan Qing'an's supple abdomen, his long fingers gripping the girl's wrist: "I don't want to play anymore, Ruan. Take care of them."

"Understood, boss."

The girl spoke softly, her fingertips calloused from years of wielding a knife. She brushed against Zhou Ziqi's face unconsciously, sending a shiver down his spine. The man opened his upturned phoenix eyes.

The first thing that catches the eye is Ruan Qing'an's beautiful jawline, and she stands quietly and silently behind him.

Seeing Ruan Qing'an make a move, Lillian retreated as if facing a formidable enemy: "No matter what you say, Zhou Ziqi, you have no chance this time, and Chief Lu will not let you go!"

There was noise in my ears.

Zhou Ziqi suddenly felt a little tired, and his voice became slightly hoarse.

"Xiao Ruan, I think I prefer shopping with you..."

【Affection Level: 60】

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