Chapter 40: The Fool Who Abandoned His Wife and Child in the Apocalypse (Part 10)

Shen Ke was woken up by the noise.

She dazedly opened her eyes and found herself lying in Qu Xi’s arms.

Shen Ke instinctively nuzzled into Qu Xi’s warm embrace. Sure enough, after becoming an ability user, her body’s recovery had strengthened a lot. Now, her whole body only felt fatigued.

“Qu Xi, where are we?” Shen Ke’s gaze shifted outside through the broken car window.

The crowd was noisy, and the surrounding buildings were low and simple, like the urban villages from before the apocalypse. A few people darted in and out of the houses, shouting loudly.

Qu Xi didn’t speak. Instead, someone else did.

“Shen Ke, we’ve entered the range of Dawn Base. A bit further ahead is the base gate.” This voice was especially familiar to Shen Ke. She turned her head and looked over in surprise, her eyes widening. “A Si, why are you here!”

A Si smiled and gave a simple explanation of what had happened. “This ability user saved us, and she was heading to Dawn Base anyway, so we traveled together.”

Shen Ke let out an “oh.” She had only asked casually and didn’t really care what had happened.

But why wasn’t Qu Xi speaking or even looking at her?

Shen Ke reached out and poked the back of Qu Xi’s head. “Qu Xi, what’s wrong with you?”

Qu Xi slowly turned her head and gripped Shen Ke’s slender fingers in one hand.

The afterglow of passion still lingered on Shen Ke’s face. She frowned unhappily. “Little Ghost, what’s with that look?”

Qu Xi had originally planned to vent her anger at Shen Ke, but seeing Shen Ke’s arrogant expression, the pent-up frustration in her heart deflated in an instant.

She released Shen Ke’s hand and pressed her temple. “Where are your child and wife?”

Shen Ke’s expression changed. She glared viciously at A Si, her coquettish voice unable to mask the ferocity in her words. “A Si! You told her?!”

“Did I let you say that?”

A Si avoided Shen Ke’s gaze and coughed awkwardly a few times. At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it, and besides, this ability user’s presence was too overwhelming, making it impossible for her to lie.

Shen Ke sneered coldly. “Why are you asking about my wife and child now? Is it because I’m a married woman that you don’t want me anymore?”

Zhao Qi, sitting in the passenger seat, laughed. “Speaking of which, I do remember something.”

“On my way back from a mission, I saw Shen Ke getting all hot and heavy with some woman.”

“Isn’t a married woman even more enticing?”

How could Shen Ke not hear the sarcasm in Zhao Qi’s words? She cursed, “You bastard! Your filthy mouth is disgusting!”

Zhao Qi wanted to retort, but the next second, a bolt of lightning struck her thigh, making her face pale for an instant from the pain.

Fuck, Shen Ke was something else—her skills at seducing people were impressive.

Qu Xi grabbed Shen Ke’s wrist and gently rubbed it. She slowly smiled. Qu Xi’s beautiful and alluring features looked pure and clean when she smiled. She said softly, “Shen Ke, I don’t mean anything else. I don’t care about your child and wife.” I just want to find them and kill them.

Seeing this, Shen Ke relaxed. She said, “They’re already dead.” She had thought this little ghost despised her for being a married woman.

Hearing this, Qu Xi lowered her long lashes and pulled Shen Ke into her arms. She whispered, “Then it’s fine.” In truth, she was burning with jealousy. The moment she heard the news, she nearly went mad.

She knew someone must have had Shen Ke before her, but she never imagined it was through marriage.

They even had a child. Were they together out of love?

She couldn’t think about these things. Just imagining them made her feel like dying.

The reason she could calm down now was that she had vented all her rage on the zombies.

She had considered ignoring Shen Ke once they reached the base, but when Shen Ke’s cat-like eyes fixed on her, she realized it was impossible.

Qu Xi wrapped her arms around Shen Ke’s waist, desperately suppressing her surging fury. Right now, she wanted to possess Shen Ke again, to mark her inside and out with her own brand—but she couldn’t. Qu Xi could only calmly voice her emotions. “But my mood is really bad.”

Shen Ke didn’t understand why Qu Xi was saying these things. She was held in her arms and couldn’t see Qu Xi’s expression, but Qu Xi was holding her so tightly, as if she wanted to merge her into her body. There was a terrifying sense of confinement.

At that moment, voices came from outside.

“Please pull over. Outsiders need to undergo inspection.”

Qu Xi’s eyes darkened slightly. She released Shen Ke and got out of the car.

Afraid of being left behind, Shen Ke hurried after her. The others in the car also got out.

Shen Ke quickly grabbed Qu Xi’s wrist and complained, “Why didn’t you wait for me?”

The guards at Dawn Base were surprised to see Shen Ke holding onto Qu Xi without being shaken off.

Although Qu Xi was an A-rank ability user, she never acted superior. She was good-natured and young, so she had a great reputation in the base. At the same time, everyone knew she hated being touched.

Qu Xi turned her hand and pulled Shen Ke in front of her. Then she pointed at Zhao Qi and the others. “Take those people for inspection. This one is my—” Here, Qu Xi paused.

Glancing at Shen Ke’s somewhat anxious expression, Qu Xi continued, “This is my lover. No need for inspection.” The words “my lover” came out more easily than expected.

The guards were inwardly shocked but remained calm on the surface. The lead guard nodded. “Mm, alright.” He turned and gestured to Zhao Qi and the others, directing the other guards. “Take them away.” Since the A-rank ability user had said so, they naturally wouldn’t demand anything more.

Zhao Qi and the others didn’t resist. Inspections were standard before entering any base.

Holding Shen Ke’s wrist, Qu Xi turned her head and planted a kiss on Shen Ke’s fair cheek, suppressing her dark thoughts. Pure affection appeared in her eyes. “Let’s go, my lover.”

Shen Ke’s heart skipped a beat. She gave Qu Xi a strange look, inexplicably not daring to meet her gaze. She had never heard anyone call her that before.

Not even Wen Su, after seven years of marriage.

Shen Ke avoided Qu Xi’s gaze, shook off her hand, and strode forward, complaining as she walked, “So cheesy. Who’s your lover?”

Qu Xi caught up to Shen Ke and smiled. “Shen Ke, I’ll take you to where I live. From now on, you’ll live with me.”

“I’ll take you back first. Later, I need to head to headquarters.” She wanted to see just who was so capable as to easily kill the former leader.

Shen Ke’s eyes darted around slyly. She said, “Wait, I want to go too!” Anyone with eyes could see she had ulterior motives. Qu Xi’s expression darkened. “Why?”

Shen Ke pursed her lips. “I’ve never seen an S-level ability user before. I know the leader of Dawn Base is an S-level ability user.”

Qu Xi took a deep breath, unsure if Shen Ke was really stupid or pretending to be. Her gaze lingered on Shen Ke’s neck, where there were still mottled kiss marks.

Tch, going out like this, everyone would know what they’d done.

It seemed like a way to declare ownership. After thinking for a moment, Qu Xi agreed to Shen Ke’s request. “Fine, but you can only wait outside.”

“The leader is newly appointed. I don’t know her temperament.”

“Let’s go back and change clothes first.”

“Leader Wen, A-rank ability user Qu Xi is here. She wants to see you.”

Wen Su turned her head, about to speak, when Wen Zhao, lying on the operating table, said, “Mama, my repair isn’t finished yet.” Wen Zhao’s face was pale, her expression carrying a hint of grievance, as if she was simply worried that Wen Su would abandon her before her injuries were treated.

Wen Su lowered her long lashes and smiled gently. She said to the messenger, “Go find a healing-type ability user to treat her.”

“Got it, Leader Wen.”

Wen Zhao frowned slightly and said pitifully, “Mama, aren’t you going to record the data anymore?”

Wen Su removed her bloodstained gloves and patted Wen Zhao’s head. Her gentle voice was unhurried. “Xiao Zhao, I didn’t originally plan to go.”

“But your state has really surprised me.”

Hearing this, Wen Zhao instantly relaxed her furrowed brows and smiled sweetly. “What are you saying, Mama? I’m just worried I won’t recover. After all, my heart was stabbed through.”

Wen Su slipped her hands into her white coat pockets and smiled without replying. She turned and slowly walked out of the room.

Dawn Base, headquarters, conference building.

Shen Ke was currently standing at the door, staring blankly at the sky.

Qu Xi had told her to wait outside, and Shen Ke had no way to force her way in because the building seemed to have some kind of protective cover. Only those with an ID card could enter.

Seriously, in the apocalypse, why bother with this high-tech stuff?

An S-level ability user—if she could latch onto that S-level, wouldn’t she live worry-free? As long as the base didn’t fall, she wouldn’t have to live in constant fear and hardship.

The base leader was way more useful than an A-rank like Qu Xi. Plus, Qu Xi’s technique was poor and overly flashy. That tingling sensation in her belly hadn’t faded yet.

She bit without any restraint—her chest hurt, her butt hurt, her thighs hurt.

At that moment, Shen Ke suddenly heard someone nearby say, “Leader, Ability User Qu doesn’t know you’re in the lab, so she came to the conference building to wait. You should’ve just had me tell her to come find you.”

Shen Ke’s eyes lit up. She withdrew her gaze from the sky and looked toward the voice.

The moment she saw the person clearly, Shen Ke’s mind went blank, horror appearing on her face.

How could it be Wen Su?! Wen Su was clearly pushed into the zombie horde by her own hands. She was clearly, clearly dead—

Wen Su didn’t overlook Shen Ke standing at the entrance. On the contrary, she noticed her before anyone else.

Her lips curved slightly upward. The moment their eyes met, she softly uttered a few words. “Long time no see.”

Shen Ke’s heart stopped. It was really Wen Su. Run—she had to run.

But Shen Ke couldn’t move her feet at all. Fine beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She clenched her fingers tightly.

Wen Su moved unhurriedly, but to Shen Ke, she was in front of her in mere seconds. Too fast.

Wen Su’s presence closed in. Shen Ke slowly raised her head, her face deathly pale.

Wen Su was still the same—skin pale to near transparency, an elegant and fresh face, her aura calm and gentle, as if untouched by any darkness.

Just looking at her, tears welled up in Shen Ke’s eyes.

Her red lips parted slightly. “Wen… Wen Su, I—” She stumbled over even these simple words, unable to say anything more.

Wen Su’s gaze fell on Shen Ke’s neck. The mottled marks darkened her eyes for an instant. She reached out and slowly gripped Shen Ke’s neck. “Shen Ke, how do you think I should get revenge on you?” The skin under her palm was warm and delicate, the violently pulsing vein revealing Shen Ke’s tension.

Wen Su continued, “Pushing me into the zombie horde—do you know how scared I was at the time?” Her tone was light, carrying no real anger.

“I thought you’d feel guilty, but it looks like you’ve been doing just fine, showing up with these marks to see me.”

The subordinate who had followed happened to hear these words and looked at Shen Ke in shock. To think this weakling had pushed Leader Wen into a zombie horde.

Though Leader Wen had only been around for a few days, they had a rough idea of her temperament.

She always appeared warm and calm on the surface, but her inner thoughts were impossible to guess. She might maintain that calm expression while making someone explode on the spot the next second.

But if something like this had happened, Leader Wen should have turned this woman into bloody pulp the moment she saw her.

Not like now… The subordinate pondered for a long time and settled on a term in his mind: it was like flirting.

Gripping someone’s neck was more like a gentle hold, without any killing intent.

Shen Ke bit her lip tightly. The moment Wen Su’s cool fingers touched her skin, tears surged from her eyes. She cried hard. “Please, let me go.”

Wen Su chuckled softly. “Let you go? I’m afraid not. Someone as bad as you only deserves to be locked in bed for life.”

Shen Ke’s tears wouldn’t stop. She was both scared and anxious. She grabbed Wen Su’s hand on her neck and sobbed. “Y-you… you’re not dead, are you? Why won’t you let me go?”

Her wet eyes, rosy lips, and flushed cheeks made her look like a pitifully pretty kitten.

But this kitty had a bad temper. She wouldn’t admit fault and even thought herself innocent.

Wen Su saw it clearly—there wasn’t a trace of remorse on Shen Ke’s face. Truly a naughty cat.

Wen Su gazed into Shen Ke’s eyes. Those pitch-black pupils reflected her own figure—small and somewhat blurred from the tears. The hand Wen Su had clamped around Shen Ke’s neck tightened slightly.

Shen Ke was so scared that her tail and ears suddenly popped out.

Wen Su gently caressed Shen Ke’s skin. This sight—Shen Ke’s first time—should have been hers to see, not anyone else’s.

“My mood’s a bit off.”

Wen Zhao extended her other hand and began stroking Shen Ke’s white ears. “But that’s on me too.” She had overestimated Shen Ke’s temperament, thinking she wouldn’t find someone else so quickly.