Chapter 10 The Apocalypse 9
A birthday present?
Why?
Luo Mingchuan could only express his confusion and anger through his eyes.
His world was incredibly surreal. He didn't know what kind of drug Lu Xuejin had given him, but apart from the beautiful young man in front of him, all the lines in his vision were incredibly distorted and exaggerated. The more he looked, the more dizzy he became. He could only maintain a little clarity when he was staring at Lu Xuejin.
The young man's soft, beautiful almond-shaped eyes turned bloodshot. The scene resembled a white-winged angel who spent his days wandering in the sanctuary singing hymns, praising God, and showing mercy to believers, tearing off his halo with a wicked smile and transforming into a demon.
Luo Mingchuan even faintly heard a sinister melody.
【precious! ! ! 】
Dong Yao couldn't understand why things had suddenly taken such a turn for the worse. He had only gone to check the data and maintain the operation of the small world, and the host had actually drugged the birthday cake, knocked out the male protagonist, and then—bit through his neck??
It's actually quite pretty...
But where did this medicine come from?
What should have been a peaceful and joyful birthday night turned into a bloody feast.
Dong Yao hurriedly checked the contribution value, fearing that Luo Mingchuan would harbor resentment towards Lu Xuejin, causing the hard-earned value to drop. Fortunately, the cold numbers remained unchanged.
At this moment, Lu Xuejin spoke up to explain: "This way of infection is gentler and less painful. Letting him be torn apart by the zombie horde is too painful... Just thinking about that scene breaks my heart, and I really can't bear to let him suffer."
His delicate brows furrowed slightly, his expression melancholy, as if he truly couldn't bear it. Yet, blood still clung to his lips, and his eyes were a chilling red, making his reluctance seem somewhat feigned.
Unable to discern the host's true emotions, Dongyao asked suspiciously, "But Bao, why do I feel..."
Lu Xuejin half-squatted down, picked up the small robot, and gave a gloomy smile. "Don't you believe me?"
At such close range, his eyelashes were clearly defined, and ignoring the blood Luo Mingchuan had left on the corner of his lips, his drooping eyes appeared exceptionally pure and innocent. His gentle gaze enveloped Dong Yao, and the system, submerged in his gaze, dazed and confused: "No, no, I believe you..."
Looking back, she remembered how deeply Lu Xuejin loved her husband, how innocent and kind she was, and how she always put Luo Mingchuan first. Although her methods were somewhat extreme, how could such a person intentionally hurt others?
In less than half a minute, Dong Yao accepted the reason given by Lu Xuejin.
Perhaps her actions were a bit cruel, but... Lu Xuejin's heart was good.
It cannot misunderstand him and hurt him.
Therefore, no matter what actions Lu Xuejin took towards Luo Mingchuan, Dong Yao would automatically find a reasonable explanation.
They took out a muzzle and put it over Luo Mingchuan's face, put a dog leash around his neck, and locked his hands and feet to fix him to the chair—this was to prevent him from going berserk and harming others during the conversion process.
Although the method was somewhat like dog training and extremely humiliating, Lu Xuejin had no other choice—its host was physically weak and vulnerable in front of a tall and strong adult male. If she didn't restrain Luo Mingchuan first, she would be the one who got hurt.
Dong Yao thought that Lu Xuejin's thin body was too pitiful, and Luo Mingchuan was thick-skinned and dulled by pain, so it was no big deal to just tie him up.
It only worries about one thing: "Baby, I know you mean well, but Luo Mingchuan doesn't. He'll definitely misunderstand you and hold a grudge. Getting contribution points again will be incredibly difficult."
"It's alright." Lu Xuejin pinched Luo Mingchuan's chin to adjust the muzzle, making sure everything was in order. She then pinched the dog collar and slid it down to the leash. "I've already figured out what to do next."
Pulling the leash, Luo Mingchuan was forced to tilt his head back, exposing his neck. To completely restrain him, the collar and leash were tightened to the maximum extent, leaving no gaps. The man breathed heavily, even swallowing was extremely difficult.
Lu Xuejin lowered her eyes, admiring her own work with tenderness in her gaze.
The reaction to the viral infection was unexpectedly severe. On one hand, Luo Mingchuan was tormented by the virus, his muscles tense, his chest heaving violently, and the pain felt like a knife scraping into his bones. On the other hand, he angrily met Lu Xuejin's gaze—the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony in his heart.
"Why!" A hoarse and disheveled question came through the gag, as Luo Mingchuan stared intently at the young man looking down at him.
—He could actually smile, his eyes full of tenderness, just like when he used to stand in the entryway and watch him leave.
"...Are you getting revenge on me?"
"Retaliation?" Lu Xuejin sighed, shook her head, and said, "Mingchuan, I did all this for your own good."
"Does it hurt a lot?" He brushed aside Luo Mingchuan's sweat-drenched hair and touched his smooth, burning forehead. He was clearly the one who caused all of this, yet his expression was full of worry.
His fingertips were dry and soft, with a slight coolness. Luo Mingchuan's veins bulged from his touch, and he clenched his fists so tightly that they almost drew blood.
For his own good?
Even though Luo Mingchuan rarely experienced kindness from others, he understood what true care and love were. He thought Lu Xuejin was doing this to retaliate against him, to get back at his indifference, contempt, and hurtful words, but there was no vengeful pleasure in Lu Xuejin's eyes, only genuine concern.
His gaze was so gentle that it made the act of pulling the dog leash seem all the more indifferent.
In his pain and anger, Luo Mingchuan had to admit a fact—perhaps this was Lu Xuejin's true nature.
The gentle, innocent, timid, and cowardly older brother he used to be was just a disguise.
After all, Lu Xuejin's methods of tormenting people were so skillful.
Luo Mingchuan frowned, his doubts growing stronger—if it was all an act before, why did Lu Xuejin put so much effort into him? He had nothing of value, so what could she possibly gain from him?
To be honest, he and Lu Xuejin had only known each other for about two months. During that time, he was in school most of the time, while Lu Xuejin was at work, so they rarely saw each other. As for understanding her, he really didn't know her well.
Lu Xuejin's past, Lu Xuejin's true nature, Lu Xuejin's purpose... Luo Mingchuan couldn't help but feel a strong curiosity about the person in front of him.
One moment it was anger, the next it was pain, and then it was doubt; all sorts of emotions churned endlessly in my swollen heart.
Lu Xuejin leaned closer to examine the changing expressions on Luo Mingchuan's face, finding it quite interesting, and whispered, "He wouldn't have such a rich range of emotions."
He was speaking to Dong Yao.
Silence is always gentle and refined, and even without a smile, he never comes across as cold. In his presence, Silence always acts with propriety and composure, as if nothing in this world can suddenly change his expression.
Even when drinking that bowl of sweet soup, he did not show any fear.
Such an interested expression and mumbled, nostalgic whispers were, in Luo Mingchuan's eyes, strong evidence that Lu Xuejin was indeed using him as a substitute and seeing others through him.
Who is he?
My teeth were both sore and itchy, and my canines were pressing against the corners of my lips, itching to pounce.
Almost instantly, Luo Mingchuan felt a strong aversion and hostility towards the "others" that Lu Xuejin mentioned.
Nobody wants to be used as a substitute.
"Ha..." Lu Xuejin caught the hostility and couldn't help but chuckle, "Still wondering who my previous customers were?"
"You care so much about your brother, can you guess why?"
That smile was so meaningful. A thought flashed through his mind, and Luo Mingchuan blurted out, "You made it all up! Cheng Ce too..."
"Idiot." Lu Xuejin tightened her grip on the dog leash again, a hint of bloodlust creeping into her smile. She placed her hand on the man's cheek and gave him two light slaps. "How could you be so stupid?"
Her voice suddenly softened: "Of course, I like you the most. How could you presume to know me? This clumsy head of yours can't hold any knowledge, is it just filled with fantasies about me selling my body, huh?"
Unfazed by having his ulterior motives exposed, Luo Mingchuan met Lu Xuejin's intrigued gaze with complete composure. After a brief scrutiny, he realized one thing—
Lu Xuejin may not want anything from him; she may only treat him as a toy. His angry and dark emotional changes are what she enjoys.
...
Night fell, neon lights flickered, and strangely dressed young people wandered the streets. Cheng Ce walked through a group of staggering drunkards and arrived at the bar.
"Sir, what do you need?"
The bartender sitting behind the counter was a new employee; he was very skilled and greeted people warmly.
Cheng Ce frowned and went to find the boss.
The boss, with a cigarette dangling from his lips, mumbled, "Xiao Jin, he's taken leave. He said something came up at home, so he's only gone for a week. I've got someone filling in for him temporarily, and we'll talk about it when he gets back."
"If you need to find him, just call him directly. You won't find him here."
The screen lit up, and Cheng Ce opened the messaging app. At the top was his chat window with Lu Xuejin. They didn't chat frequently; Cheng Ce was always the one initiating messages, asking about the weather and recommending food. Lu Xuejin's responses were always lukewarm.
Cheng Ce leaned against the car body, repeatedly turning his phone off and on again. He lit a cigarette and held it in his hand, not smoking it, but just inhaling the dry tobacco smell.
The glow of the cigarette butt flickered on and off on the screen. Finally, Cheng Ce took a deep breath and sent the message, which he had edited several times.
C: I heard you took leave. What happened? Maybe there's something I can help with.
c: A friend told me that a new Vietnamese restaurant opened in the south of the city. Would you have time to go?
Time passed by, and half an hour had gone by, but Lu Xuejin had not responded.
Cheng Ce stubbed out his cigarette, thinking that he was probably busy. He turned off his phone and was about to leave when he suddenly heard a commotion in the middle of the bar.
"What is this? This is a ghost!"
"Damn, bro, are you alright?"
"Wait, make way! Make way! I'm taking him to the hospital."
"...It bit me!!"
A scream pierced the night sky.
"It has been learned that an unknown virus outbreak has recently occurred, with infected individuals exhibiting bizarre symptoms such as stiffness, hardened skin, and a strong craving for blood and human flesh. The public is advised to take precautions when traveling..."
"Due to the impact of an unknown virus, city traffic is paralyzed..."
"It's a zombie! I've read novels, this is clearly a zombie!"
"The end of the world is coming! The end of the world is coming!"
The desperate howls of despair echoed through the night, startling a flock of red-eyed crows.
...
With a persistent high fever, Luo Mingchuan's eyes were tightly closed, his eyeballs trembling restlessly through his eyelids, and his limbs, tightly bound by ropes, convulsed and twitched, as if he were trapped in a nightmare from which he could not escape.
Lu Xuejin washed her hair with the last of the hot water, sat opposite Luo Mingchuan, and slowly combed her hair.
The water droplets, dripping gently, evaporated mostly in the hot air. On a sweltering summer night, there's no need for a hairdryer; simply letting your hair air dry in the sun is enough.
Having not cut her hair for over a month, the ends had reached her shoulders. Lu Xuejin pinched the ends, thinking it would be easier to just cut them off with a pair of scissors.
Clang—Clang—
Luo Mingchuan, like a restless wild beast, swayed the chair, making a sound.
"Be quiet," Lu Xuejin patted his head and said softly, "Don't disturb the neighbors."
His words of reassurance actually calmed Luo Mingchuan down.
Lu Xuejin scrutinized the man's furrowed brows and sweat-drenched body, and said slowly, "He's having a nightmare. Will I be in his dream?"
Dong Yao immediately said, "[Luo Mingchuan must be dreaming! You must be in his dream!]"
Whether this dream was a nightmare or a beautiful dream, Luo Mingchuan himself couldn't tell.
He fell into a dizzying, hallucinatory world, constantly traversing through dense, endless forests. With just one step, he traversed mountains and valleys.
The jungle was quiet, with almost no sounds of animals. For a moment, all you could hear was your own rapid heartbeat and heavy breathing.
"..."
The deep green suddenly turned into a bright red, dazzling and scorching—it was the stain of blood. Splattered on the tree trunks, hanging precariously from the branches, it dyed this mountain forest crimson.
Sunlight poured down, giving birth to a touch of snow-white amidst the crimson.
Luo Mingchuan fell into a pool of blood, struggling to regain control of his limbs. The moment he looked up, he met a pair of beastly eyes.
The iris is a clear blue, like cornflower petals washed by the wind, or like a lake in the forest untouched by dust.
Those eyes belonged to a snow-white, beautiful beast, resembling a cat in appearance but larger in size and with softer fur. It was also unlike a fox, making its specific species impossible to discern. Its muzzle was stained with blood, the source of all red in the world.
Bloody, cruel, and beautiful.
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