Chapter 49: The Fool Who Abandoned His Wife and Child in the Apocalypse (Part 19)

Qu Xi sneered coldly. “You say you love Shen Ke, so does that mean Shen Ke has to love you?”

“You’re being way too idealistic. Things don’t work that perfectly in life.”

Shen Ke, hiding behind Qu Xi, furrowed her brows, about to say something when a voice laced with amusement came from nearby.

“Exactly. Just catching a glimpse from Ke Mama fills me with joy.”

“Besides, Ke Mama, you probably don’t know this, but your first time was taken by the woman in front of you.”

Shen Ke and Qu Xi turned their heads at the same time, meeting Wen Zhao’s smiling eyes.

Shen Ke opened her mouth, her expression darkening. “Wen Zhao, what do you mean by that?!”

Wen Zhao’s hands were clasped behind her back, her long hair tied into a simple low ponytail. She wore a brown sleeveless short-sleeved shirt with black denim work pants and a pair of Martin boots, giving her a touch of sunniness.

That was only at a glance, of course. A closer look revealed the fathomless chill flickering in her brilliant golden vertical pupils, mingled with a strange amusement that sent chills down the spine.

“It means all your beddings with Mama were fake, Ke Mama.”

“Mama used her ability on you, trapping you in an illusion. But every expression and move you made in there played out in reality.”

Blood began to spill from the corners of Wen Zhao’s lips, but she kept talking. “Mama promised me I could play with you however I wanted.”

Not only her lips—blood started flowing from her eyes, ears, and nose too. Wen Zhao blinked lightly, her gaze landing on Wen Su’s calm face as her smile deepened. “Mama also said she was going to throw you away, Ke Mama.”

“So it was Mama who didn’t cherish you back then.”

“Now she’s trying to hog you all to herself so domineeringly. Mama’s really rotten to the core, uh—” Wen Zhao suddenly collapsed to the ground, her skin cracking inch by inch. This time, Mama’s attack was far fiercer than any before.

“Ke Mama, actually, Mama showed me your immersed self in the illusion many times. It was especially—” Wen Zhao couldn’t finish. Her windpipe had split open.

Shen Ke stiffly turned her head to look at Wen Su, her mind racing until she reached a conclusion: Wen Su was way too twisted.

Setting aside everything else, if she was right, Wen Zhao must have been around seven years old when she watched.

Making a seven-year-old kid watch that kind of scene—it was no wonder Wen Zhao wanted to mess with her. Wen Su had warped her completely.

Shen Ke’s face flushed with anger as she glared viciously at Wen Su and snapped, “Wen Su! Is what Wen Zhao said true?!”

Wen Su’s eyes were unusually dark at that moment. She hadn’t lied and nodded lightly in admission. “Little Zhao’s right.”

Shen Ke bit her lip hard and yelled angrily, “Wen Su! You’re disgusting!”

With that, she tugged at Qu Xi, who seemed lost in thought. “Qu Xi, take me away.”

Qu Xi snapped back to reality, delight shining from her eyes and brows. Screw her wife and kid—Shen Ke’s first time was hers!

“Alright, alright, we’ll leave right now.” Qu Xi’s voice trembled with barely contained excitement as she spoke.

Wen Su didn’t stop them. She probably couldn’t stop that person anyway.

Among ability users, it often took just one clash to gauge each other’s general strength.

If she insisted on fighting, it would only end in mutual destruction.

But it seemed Shen Ke wouldn’t run off for now.

Glancing at Wen Zhao, sprawled on the ground possibly dead, Wen Su frowned in annoyance. What a hassle.

Maybe she should head to the lab, dismantle Wen Zhao, preserve the genetic code, and remake her.

As Wen Su carried Wen Zhao toward the lab…

Shen Ke received word that Zhao Qinghe was approaching with a large group.

Her eyes lit up instantly. She told the messenger, “Tell the guards to let everyone in.”

The messenger’s eyes darted around, seemingly not spotting who he wanted to see. After a long pause, he stammered, “B-but there are too many people.”

“What if they’re here to seize territory? Shouldn’t we discuss with Wen—Dr. Wen first?”

Shen Ke’s brows shot up in fury, her small face blazing with rage. “Do what I tell you! Am I the leader, or is she? Everyone in the base answers to me now!”

“If you won’t, I’ll kick you out!”

The man’s face paled. “I-I’m on it!” With that, he vanished from Shen Ke’s sight.

Shen Ke tsked and turned to Qu Xi, who had been staring at her the whole time. “Spit it out.” Those bloodshot eyes rolling around felt creepy.

Qu Xi beamed. “Shen Ke, turns out we were both each other’s first.” Nothing made her happier than that news right now.

Shen Ke rolled her eyes. Qu Xi was still such a kid, caring about stuff like that.

Dawn Base wasn’t huge, but it wasn’t tiny either. After waiting about forty minutes, Shen Ke finally saw Zhao Qinghe.

And trailing behind Zhao Qinghe were at least a hundred people.

From Shen Ke’s view, the dense black mass was intimidating.

Zhao Qinghe stared fixedly at Shen Ke, her expression grave. “The ability users here are from bases all over the country. Shen Ke, I’m not sure if what you said is true.”

“But I—and others—want to fight for it.”

“So we came here as fast as we could.”

Shen Ke’s eyes flickered nonstop. Without extra words, she turned and shouted, “Everyone, follow me!”

Meanwhile, Wen Su had just placed Wen Zhao on the operating table.

She needed to remove Wen Zhao’s heart.

Wen Su donned white plastic gloves and picked up the scalpel. The cold, sharp blade sliced across Wen Zhao’s bloodied skin.

A deep incision appeared, and blood gushed out. Wen Su set down the scalpel, reaching in—only for her wrist to be gripped the next second.

Wen Zhao opened her eyes and looked at the glaring white lights, frowning aggrievedly. “Mama, I’m your daughter. Are you really doing this?”

Wen Su turned her pitch-black eyes, her calm tone carrying a chilling indifference. “Little Zhao, you shouldn’t exist in this world.”

Wen Zhao laughed. “Mama, this lab doesn’t seem like the one I usually go to.”

Wen Su smiled faintly too, gazing into Wen Zhao’s brilliant golden pupils. “Little Zhao, just sleep. It’ll be fine after a nap.”

Wen Zhao slowly closed her eyes. Wen Su was about to continue when—bam!—the lab’s metal door shattered into fragments.

Wen Su turned slowly. The dark eyes behind her black-framed glasses swept over the people behind Shen Ke one by one, finally settling on Shen Ke.

Those eyes were like bottomless abysses, eerily serene. Shen Ke inexplicably felt timid and averted her gaze. She shouted loudly, “Everyone! It’s her! She knows how to end the apocalypse! Just catch her!”

Wen Su chuckled lowly. “Shen Ke, so you never loved me at all.”

Shen Ke’s gaze flickered as she snorted coldly. “Wen Su! Why should I love you? You’ve always been so full of yourself!”

Qu Xi snickered and charged straight at Wen Su. “Enough talk. Let’s end this quick.”

In an instant, everyone unleashed their abilities at Wen Su.

Meanwhile, Shen Ke slipped away during the chaos, heading toward the lab housing the meteorite.

Staring at the crimson rock under the protective cover, Shen Ke’s eyes widened in excitement. She was finally going to get powerful too.

Wen Su wasn’t invincible. Her abilities could run dry too. But what she hadn’t blocked in time was the attack from behind.

A scalpel suddenly pierced through the back of her neck. The special scalpel could easily penetrate S-grade ability user skin.

Not fatal, but enough to temporarily disable her.

Wen Su clutched her throat and looked behind her, meeting Wen Zhao’s brilliant golden pupils gleaming with amusement.

Wen Su curved her lips into a gentle smile, then glanced at Shen Ke, who was fixated on the meteorite in the distance. She slowly slid down against the operating table to sit. Shen Ke hadn’t even looked at her. That hurt more than anything.

Seeing Wen Su like this, the people around stopped their attacks.

Wen Su’s vocal cords were ruined; she couldn’t make a sound, only shaking her head lightly.

Closing her eyes, Wen Su felt utterly exhausted. She might be dying soon.

Such an easy death.

But part of her wanted to just let it happen.

Shen Ke had never liked her from start to finish. A bit deflating.

Even all her experiments combined hadn’t been as hard as winning Shen Ke’s feelings.

Wen Su felt her consciousness fading slowly. She wanted to open her eyes, catch one last glimpse of Shen Ke. Maybe it really would be the last.

Even after all this, I still love you—Shen Ke.

[System!]

After a long time, Shen Ke called out to the system.

This time, it responded promptly.

The familiar mechanical voice rang in her mind: [Tasker 56417, long time no see.]

Shen Ke’s brows knotted together. [System, check if Wen Su’s okay quick.]

The system scanned roughly and replied: [No major issues.]

Shen Ke sat by Wen Su’s bed, cradling her face in her hands. [This sucks. I’ve done so many awful things, and the task still isn’t done.]

The system pulled up the task panel.

[Character Trait: I’m lustful and selfish. Anyone useless to me should be discarded. A new world has come—it’s time for ability users like me to rule!]

[Performance Progress: 100/100]

[Gain Hatred from Key Character: (0/100)]

Performance was maxed at 100, so why wasn’t hatred at 0?

This was the first time the system had encountered something like this with so many people brought in.

Usually, 100 performance meant every loathsome act was done.

The system hesitated before consoling: [This task has no time limit. You can wait a lifetime.]

Shen Ke nearly passed out from rage at the system’s words, grumbling petulantly: [Wait a lifetime? The environment here’s awful! Do you know how much I hate it?]

[I cried my eyes out when I first saw those ugly zombies!]

The system was at a loss for words. It had tried its best to comfort her, but Tasker 56417 didn’t seem happy.

Shen Ke puffed her cheeks. [Get lost! You’re done here!]

System: …Somehow felt really stifled.

After shooing the system away, Shen Ke threw herself back into the performance.

She poked Wen Su’s eyelid.

She’d only gone to grab the meteorite—hugging the protective cover and all—then checked on Wen Su, only to find her barely breathing on the floor, throat fully pierced by a scalpel.

“Wen Su, you can’t die now. If you die, I’m done for too.”

Those ability users had come for the end-of-apocalypse intel, but without Wen Su, she had no answers to give.

Shen Ke gritted her teeth and pressed her cheek to Wen Su’s chest, feeling the faint heartbeat. She grumbled, “Seriously, I thought you were so tough, but you couldn’t even dodge a knife.”

As Shen Ke muttered, a harsh voice tinged with amusement came from above. “Shen Ke, are you worried about me?”

Shen Ke jerked her head up, seeing only Wen Su’s closed eyes. Must’ve been her imagination.

As she thought that, she turned away, hugging the meteorite’s protective cover, and sat on the bed’s edge to examine it closely.

“How do I even use this? I wanna get strong too.”

“Lock Wen Su up like a dog, heh.”

“Shen Ke, don’t you want to kill me?”

This time, Shen Ke was sure it wasn’t her imagination. She whipped her head around to Wen Su, meeting those pitch-black eyes.

Wen Su’s pale, cracked lips curved into a smile. “Good thing I can still see you.”

Wen Su looked extremely frail lying on the bed.

Her cheeks were sunken in.

Shen Ke snorted. “Why would I kill you? I’m waiting for your end-of-apocalypse plan so I can steal it, lock you in some lightless basement, torture you every day until you beg for death.”

Wen Su traced Shen Ke’s features with her eyes and murmured, “Shen Ke, you’re so silly.” High-grade ability users had strong recovery; Wen Su barely felt the throat pain anymore.

Speaking tugged at it, bringing a slight sting, but it didn’t stop her.

The moment she woke to see Shen Ke, all of Wen Su’s emotions had surged up.

Shen Ke spat. “You’re the stupid one!”

Her brows and eyes brimmed with undisguised flamboyance. Her beautiful cat-like eyes sparkled brilliantly, radiating a vibrant, lively energy.

Wen Su gazed at her, knowing full well why she liked Shen Ke.

When she had been pushed out of the car, the look in Shen Ke’s eyes had been malicious and disdainful. But hidden beneath those emotions was a surging vitality.

Sunlight had shone on that face and poured into those eyes. In that instant, Wen Su had seen through the outer shell.

As long as that nasty outer packaging was torn away, the inside was soft and sweet.

No one could resist something so wonderful.

“Shen Ke, I just can’t help liking you,” Wen Su said.

Love spilled out from those simple words.

Shen Ke’s grip on the edge of the bed tightened. She shot to her feet, turning her back to Wen Su, and shouted, “Who cares if you like me? You think saying that will make me let you off the hook? Dream on!”