Chapter 279 Tribulation

Looking into Zhang Zheng's calm, even pleasant, eyes, Lin Xi felt a chill run down her spine.

In his eyes, this world is just a giant game platform. He is the protagonist who controls the world, and he will go wherever he can provide resources and a platform for the protagonist to grow.

No one can keep him for long except prison.

Seeing that Lin Xi did not react, Zhang Zheng seemed to find it boring. He raised his handcuffed hands and said, "I knew your identity when I first met you at the research institute, but I did not expect this scene."

Lin Xi pursed her lips slightly.

She had rehearsed this scene when she pulled out a gun and pointed it at her forehead.

Zhang Zheng knew her identity, but he didn't know that she had deliberately approached him.

Lin Xi asked a very naive question: "When you did these things, didn't you think about your family?"

Zhang Zheng raised an eyebrow slightly.

Lin Xi added, "I mean, Gu Yixuan and Yu Shiyun."

Legally speaking, Lin Yi, Lin Cheng, and Lin Xi can all be considered Zhang Zheng's family members, but the fact that Zhang Zheng has never appeared in front of the Lin family members speaks volumes about his attitude towards them.

Zhang Zheng was a name he changed himself, and Yu Shiyun, his later wife, was also personally chosen by him.

The only one still connected to the past is Gu Yixuan. Zhang Zheng left his past in Yunxiang, but brought Gu Yixuan from Yunxiang to his side. Whether it's the villa in Nanhua or the residence in Languo, Gu Yixuan has a place.

"Family?" Zhang Zheng repeated the word with a soft laugh.

There was no mockery, only bewilderment.

"Sociology defines family as a group of people who are socially recognized, connected through specific relationships, and fulfill family functions. I tried to build normal social relationships, be with Yu Shiyun, and bring Xiao Xuan to live with me to cultivate feelings and experience the family roles of normal people."

Zhang Zheng shook his head, somewhat helplessly.

Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Lin Xi and Gu Yixuan had known each other for so long, and when Gu Yixuan mentioned her father, she would only talk about how talented and wealthy he was, with a tone that was mostly one of admiration and awe, but lacked the intimacy between family members.

Gu Yixuan's relationship with Zhang Zheng was not even as close as her relationship with Yu Shiyun.

Perhaps, as Zhang Zheng said, he was indeed prepared to adapt to ordinary life by starting a family and bringing Gu Yixuan into his life. However, he was born with a lack of emotions, and all his actions towards his family stemmed from his understanding of society rather than from heartfelt care and love.

He used his knowledge and upbringing to play the role of a father, taking care of her life but unable to give her true fatherly love.

He would do his best to ensure his family's living conditions. Even when a virus was deliberately released and caused a zombie outbreak, he still left his family a safe haven. Even after moving abroad, he never abandoned his family.

These were all pieced together by Lin Xi from Gu Yixuan's experiences in her previous life.

When Lin Xi came to her senses, she found Zhang Zheng staring intently at her, maintaining a pleasant gaze even with his hands cuffed.

Zhang Zheng asked, "Now that I think back to when we were in Lan Kingdom, Xiao Xuan invited some friends to her home. Did you start intentionally getting close to Xiao Xuan from that time?"

Lin Xi did not deny it.

Zhang Zheng sighed and chuckled: "My second brother is a dull and honest man. When we were kids... ha, I never thought I would be defeated by his daughter."

He wasn't angry, but he was somewhat resentful: "Can you tell me when the investigation into me started?"

This question left Lin Xi somewhat bewildered. The events of her past life were already unclear, so she would begin calculating from this life. Lin Xi replied, "12 years ago."

Zhang Zheng tilted his head, a glint of light flashing across his glasses, and his calm gaze finally turned to surprise: "Back then, Xiao Xuan was still in junior high school in Yunxiang."

To avoid Zhang Zheng mistakenly believing that his purpose in approaching Gu Yixuan was simply to get closer to his blood relatives, Lin Xi emphasized: "Twelve years ago, the first time I approached Gu Yixuan, it was all for today."

Zhang Zheng: "..."

Twelve years ago, Lin Xi was only thirteen years old.

After the initial surprise, Zhang Zheng calmed down.

There are so many things a thirteen-year-old can do. For example, Zhang Zheng was already capable of doing things that would terrify his parents at the age of thirteen. This seemingly harmless niece in front of him may possess extraordinary wisdom and abilities, just like him.

But his intuition told him that Lin Xi was not the same kind of person as him; at least her eyes were not calm and inadvertently revealed a lot of emotions.

Lin Xi was unaware of his thoughts.

As the conversation drew to a close and Lin Xi prepared to leave, Zhang Zheng suddenly spoke up:

"From a social psychology perspective, a person will feel guilty when they approach and take advantage of a friend with a purpose. Would you feel guilty towards Xiaoxuan because of this?"

Lin Xi smiled and shook her head solemnly.

Zhang Zheng then asked, "Up until now, I have not used the virus to do anything detrimental to society. The opportunity to create the virus was only to save lives. But your revelations have trapped me here and put me facing the death penalty. I want to know, how did you feel after you achieved your goal?"

Lin Xi said sincerely, "I'm glad I made it in time. I won't feel any guilt or unease towards you or Gu Yixuan."

Because starting today, everyone will be saved.

Lin Xi, with the same gentle expression and firm voice as Zhang Zheng before, said, "I think you should face legal judgment, you deserve to die. Even if you haven't committed any wrongdoing yet."

Whether Zhang Zheng created the virus intentionally or unintentionally, he was the one who actively brought the virus into the overseas biochemical laboratory, and he was also an important participant in the future poisoning operation.

Regardless of his difficulties or reasons, it is true that countless people lost their lives because of him, and it is also true that Lin Xi died twelve times.

Lu Wei, Xiang Xin, Liang Hui, Yang Yicheng, Feng Xue, and Song Heng's entire team, and even 70% of humanity, lost their lives as a result.

Hearing Lin Xi's words, Zhang Zheng finally showed a look of surprise.

-

At the same time as Zhang Zheng's arrest, relevant departments arrested a group of foreign spies who had been recruited.

Virus test kits have been sent to various customs offices, and in the coming period, imported products will be subject to strict inspections to ensure that no virus enters the country.

Vaccines and antiviral agents are also being mass-produced and shipped to various cities.

For a considerable period of time afterward, the borders and major cities remained under martial law.

However, most people did not notice this change.

Amidst the calm and tranquility, the relevant departments quietly made all the necessary preparations.

The people lived peacefully on this land, completely unaware that they had quietly survived a catastrophe.