Chapter 24 The Apocalypse 23
When Luo Mingchuan's figure disappeared at the end of the corridor, leaving only Lu Xuejin standing there alone, many people's gazes became unrestrained.
The young man possessed a flawless, moon-like face and a gentle, considerate nature. Had it not been for the vicious dogs lurking and guarding him, he would have long been captured by one or more powerful figures.
Unfortunately, the house has a vicious dog with a harsh barking.
As if sensing the piercing gaze, the young man timidly lowered his eyes. He stood at the boundary of light and shadow, his long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyes. Because of the alcohol, a beautiful flush spread from his neck to his cheeks, like rouge spreading on white porcelain, both rich and delicate.
He thought that by hiding himself, fewer people would pay attention to him. Little did he know that it was precisely this timid concealment that aroused the hunters' interest and made them even more concerned about him.
"What a beauty, what a pity..." someone chuckled softly, the unfinished words fading away with the clinking of glasses.
In the distance, several well-dressed young people gathered together, talking in hushed tones. The man in the center of the group had short, dyed blond hair, three small diamonds embedded in his ear cartilage, and a glittering collarbone chain and ring, making him quite ostentatious.
He had an air of wickedness about him, and he smiled casually, playing with the wine glass in his hand. He seemed uninterested in the banquet, but his gaze remained fixed on the thin figure in the corner.
A second-generation rich kid picked up a cherry from the fruit plate and said, "Speaking of which, didn't he and that guy surnamed Mu have been entangled for a while? I heard they bumped into each other on the way to the base, but they just hitched a ride on the hunting team's vehicle. That guy surnamed Mu was hilarious; he thought she liked him and arrogantly invited Lu Xuejin to work odd jobs in his team, only to be rejected. Later, he chased after her to the wedding venue..." He deliberately dragged out his words, pleased to see the curious looks on everyone's faces.
"Then what?"
"We ran into Luo Mingchuan coming out of the registration office with someone in his arms. Didn't you see his expression at the time..." The second-generation rich kid exaggeratedly clutched his heart, "He's totally devastated! Fighting over someone's love in the street, is this still our Azure Sky's unapproachable sheriff?"
"That guy surnamed Mu is so ordinary yet so confident, does he think he's likable just by standing there? Hahaha, he should take a look at his ambiguous appearance. It would be strange if anyone were interested in him!"
“When Lu Xuejin moved before, he went with her and stood motionless downstairs at her apartment building, as if he were a statue waiting for his wife.”
Few people knew about this, but the second-generation rich kids kept asking, "Did Lu Xuejin respond to him?"
The person who broke the news smiled mysteriously and slowly shook his finger twice: "Of course—no! What's even more devastating is that Lu Xuejin went downstairs that day to pick up the man surnamed Luo, right in front of him. The man surnamed Mu watched the loving couple go upstairs with his own eyes."
"Damn, that's pretty tragic... Why didn't our young master Mu just snatch them away? Isn't that his specialty?"
Amid the laughter, someone turned to the man who had remained silent, "Brother Huo, has the Mu family made any move?"
Huo Shen swirled his wine glass, his gaze still following the figure: "It's a normal emotional dispute, nothing serious."
He had seen Lu Xuejin a few times from afar before. She was an exceptionally beautiful young woman, clean and spotless from head to toe, without a trace of impurity. Her face was gentle, her pupils clear and bright, and her smile was exceptionally pure, like an angel who had mistakenly fallen to earth, out of place in this filthy and chaotic world.
Now that she's drunk, her face is flushed, making her appear even more fragile and vulnerable, making one... irresistibly want to possess her.
He truly deserves to be cherished.
The young man in the center of their field of vision finally moved. He left the banquet hall and headed towards the restroom in the far corner. Huo Shen put down his wine glass, followed him, and swept his gaze indifferently over the others. The others who were itching to make a move dared not take another step.
The main hall was brightly lit, filled with the clinking of glasses and the slanting light that illuminated half of the dark carpet in the side aisle. Here, far from the hustle and bustle, it was even more tranquil. Through the luxurious glass, one could see the gracefully arranged shadows of the flowers in the garden.
Lu Xuejin slowed her pace, letting the night breeze caress her slightly flushed cheeks, dispelling the effects of the alcohol. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a tall, slender figure leaning against the wall, gazing calmly at the garden across the way. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head to look.
Although his face was plain, he had a tall and straight figure, and his eyes were like cold stars. His whole demeanor was refined and elegant, which was enough to make this light-colored suit look good.
"Good evening, Mr. Mu!" Lu Xuejin greeted him with a smile.
Mu Huai nodded.
A gentle night breeze blew, and he keenly caught the faint aroma of wine wafting through the air.
No wonder this usually reserved and quiet person was so excited. Her cheerful voice was as clear as a bird's song, lifting his spirits as well. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light, filled with innocent curiosity and joy.
Mu Huai paused, about to speak up to remind her, when Lu Xuejin, as if she had foreseen it, spoke first, saying lightly, "I only drank a little bit, not much."
He held up his index finger and thumb, playfully gesturing a distance, "It's really only a little bit."
"Where's Luo Mingchuan?" Mu Huai searched the surroundings but couldn't find the man. His expression turned slightly cold. "He just left you all alone?"
"Mingchuan went to a meeting. Mr. Mu, why don't you go in? I'll let you in on a secret: there's lots of delicious food inside, and the wine is really good, sweet too."
She talked a lot, her voice trailing off in a sticky, indistinct way, and she was so close, her delicate skin magnified in front of me, her eyes glistening with moisture, and with a slight tilt of her head, I could catch a glimpse of her slightly open neckline.
Mu Huai felt a tickle in his heart and awkwardly looked away.
In this situation, to dare to let him act alone, his spouse is really... Mu Huai was unwilling to comment too much on other people's private affairs, but in this matter, it was difficult to give Luo Mingchuan a good evaluation.
"Hmm..." Lu Xuejin tilted her head again, then remembered the purpose of her trip. "I'm going to wash my face now."
Seeing that he was walking steadily and didn't seem too drunk, Mu Huai didn't follow. With his troublesome younger brother around, and the other party being a married man, he was usually very careful about the boundaries he maintained with Lu Xuejin.
However, as they passed each other, Lu Xuejin turned back and smiled at him. In that instant, a bright red glint, hidden deep in her pupils, flashed by so quickly it seemed like an illusion.
Mu Huai suddenly straightened his back, looking surprised and uncertain.
……impossible.
How is that possible?
As the chief researcher at the research institute, Mu Huai inherited his parents' legacy and took charge of the New Human Evolution Project. He had an excellent understanding of zombies and was well aware of the future evolutionary direction of zombies based on existing theoretical deductions.
In his lab, there is also a high-level zombie sample whose evolutionary process was artificially interrupted.
His eyes were a dark red.
As I was pondering this, another person walked past me.
...
The restroom was located in the far corner, and at that moment it was empty except for Lu Xuejin.
He turned on the tap, cupped a handful of clear water in his palm, and slowly wet his eyebrows and eyelashes. The coldness of the water swept away the aroma of alcohol, and he looked up at himself in the mirror.
The sound of light footsteps gradually approached.
Lu Xuejin slowly washed her palms, casually wondering: Who could be coming in?
He didn't have a specific target; he just assumed someone would follow him into the restroom, and that person could be anyone.
A moment later, the people Lu Xuejin was waiting for arrived.
Upon seeing the person leaning against the sink, Huo Shen instinctively closed the bathroom door.
The sound of flowing water stopped abruptly.
Lu Xuejin turned around, his wet fingertips touching the cold countertop. Seeing that it was an unfamiliar face that had entered, and that the door had been quietly closed, he became visibly alert and slowly straightened up.
Huo Shen, who was usually eloquent and smooth-talking, suddenly found himself speechless. The opening remarks he had painstakingly prepared before coming were stuck in his throat, his heart was pounding like a drum, and his adrenaline was surging, making him look like a lovesick young man who could only stare blankly at Lu Xuejin.
Lu Xuejin frowned slightly, like a wary kitten shrinking into a corner.
Huo Shen saw that water was still dripping down his cheeks: "Your face..."
He frantically pulled a soft, white handkerchief from his suit pocket, took a few restrained steps forward, and intended to wipe Lu Xuejin's face. He guessed that Lu Xuejin must be suppressing her fear, hence the need for patience and politeness…
"I am Huo Shen. You should have heard of me, right? I currently work in the breeding lab. It's safe, stable, and pays well in points. It's not as dangerous as being in the hunting team..."
"Who are you! Don't you have any manners? Our baby is washing his face! What are you doing barging in here?" Dong Yao shouted angrily.
Huo Shen introduced himself incoherently and incoherently, and seeing that the young man didn't react much to his approach, a strong sense of joy welled up inside him—
...Could it be...?
However, just as the handkerchief was about to touch her cheek, Lu Xuejin suddenly raised her hand and slapped it away hard.
A smile appeared on his expressionless face as he strode over. Huo Shen didn't understand what was happening, and thinking that he couldn't scare Lu Xuejin, he subconsciously backed away, backed away, and backed away again.
While he was still stunned, the other party was already close in front of him. Huo Shen's broad shoulders and back pressed against the tiles, leaving him with nowhere to retreat.
Breaths carrying the scent of wine brushed past my ears.
...Did you drink too much and are you still drunk?
Huo Shen tried to find a reason for Lu Xuejin's unusual behavior.
He suddenly felt a pain in his foot. Looking down, he saw that Lu Xuejin had stepped on his leather shoe.
"You..." Huo Shen was even more at a loss for words.
His shadow alone could completely cover Lu Xuejin, but the young man blocked him with an unyielding attitude and even stepped on his feet in a very malicious way, grinding them heavily with the tip of his shoe.
What's wrong?
Huo Shen immediately blushed.
This is... this exciting?
He looked up, only to be met with a vicious punch.
...
Mu Huai lingered in the corridor for a long time.
He suspected it was just an illusion caused by the light.
Lu Xuejin underwent a physical examination and never left the safe zone after arriving at the base, so her probability of infection was far lower than that of Luo Mingchuan, who frequently entered and exited the base.
He was too paranoid, his research had gone to extremes, and he saw everything in relation to zombies. The shepherd boy once mocked him, saying he had only ever dealt with corpses his whole life.
With this in mind, Mu Huai felt relieved.
Without realizing it, he reached the bathroom door and looked up to find it tightly shut. Then, he heard clattering sounds and faint, helpless sobs coming from inside.
His brows furrowed instantly; there were quite a few filthy and wicked people in the base.
Mu Huai immediately raised his arm and slammed the door open. He felt no pain and used force to smash it open. In just a few blows, the door burst open.
"Lu Xuejin...!" The scene in the restroom was completely different from what he had imagined, and Mu Huai's call came to an abrupt halt.
The floor tiles were soaked with water, and a tall man lay unconscious on them.
Mu Huai recognized the face—the top agricultural official at the base, with an exceptional family background and abilities, a cunning and ruthless personality, and a vengeful nature; few dared to offend him.
...Huo Shen.
Although he is not a superhuman, he has mastered a set of deadly fighting techniques, and with a large number of bodyguards around him, many assassination attempts against him have failed.
Now he lies motionless on the ground, with a small dent and bloodstains on his forehead, unconscious.
Lu Xuejin huddled in the corner next to the sink, her black hair wet and dripping with water, like a frightened wild cat.
What happened in this scene is self-evident.
Huo Shen's life has always been peaceful, but I never expected him to develop feelings for Lu Xuejin and resort to such despicable means.
"..." Mu Huai coldly shifted his gaze from the man back to Lu Xuejin, his eyes softening. Considering Lu Xuejin was likely in a state of extreme tension, alertness, and panic, he reassured her, "It's alright, it's alright..."
He crouched down and saw the young man shivering pitifully, his pale arms and fingers marked with shocking red welts. Suppressing his anger, he comforted him, "It's me, Mu Huai. We know each other. Get up first, I'll take you to change your clothes, otherwise you'll catch a cold. Okay?"
The gentle, coaxing tone is like holding a stray cat in your arms and soothingly grooming its fur.
At that moment, Lu Xuejin looked up in a panic, her bright red eyes shining brightly, and under the bright lights, there was no possibility of misreading her.
Mu Huai then noticed that the fingernails on his ten fingers, which were tightly wrapped around his knees, had an abnormal bluish tinge.
"...So you're a zombie." Mu Huai sighed softly.
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