Xie Qi led Lu Ze through many turns and across several streets, finally arriving at the villa where he had awakened. Along the way, they encountered numerous hideous, staggering zombies, but each one was instantly crushed by Lu Ze and his teammates.
Finally, they reached a rusted, tightly shut iron gate. Xie Qi looked at Lu Ze and said softly, "This is my home, but I can no longer open the gate."
Lu Ze merely looked at Xie Qi, who was about the same height as himself, and couldn't help but feel a surge of suspicion. He wondered to himself: Is this really his home?
Despite his doubts, Lu Ze remained calm. He silently raised his hand and unleashed his fire-type ability. In an instant, the sturdy anti-theft lock on the iron gate melted like ice under a scorching sun, turning into a pool of burning liquid metal.
Seeing this, Xie Qi kicked the gate open without hesitation, gripped Lu Ze’s wrist, and hurried into the house. They went straight to the second floor and reached a spacious, bright bathroom.
Once inside, Xie Qi walked to the massive bathtub, pointed at it, and turned to look at Lu Ze. His eyes sparkled with an indescribable anticipation, as if he were hoping for something to happen. When Lu Ze saw that expression on Xie Qi's handsome face, he felt a ripple in his heart.
At this moment, Xie Qi lacked his earlier annoying demeanor; he seemed to have shed all his defenses, like a pathetic pet waiting for its owner to feed it. This contrast made Lu Ze feel flustered, and his ears turned a bright, ripened-apple red. He had never imagined he would lose his composure like this. To avoid meeting Xie Qi’s gaze, he immediately turned away, trying to hide his inner shyness.
Lu Ze took a deep breath, quickly tapped into the energy hidden within him, and poured it into his hands. As the energy flowed, his palms began to emit a faint glow. Soon, the bathtub was filled with clear water. Just as Lu Ze was about to turn and leave, Xie Qi grabbed his wrist again. "The water is too cold. Could you use your fire ability to warm it up a little?"
Standing outside the room, Lu Muyang heard this and rushed in, shouting, "Don’t push your luck!"
Lu Ze immediately intercepted Lu Muyang, looked at him, and shook his head slightly, signaling for Song Chen to take him away. Lu Ze then worked to calm his inner turmoil, refocusing his concentration to channel his powerful ability. With a wave of his hands, an invisible force rippled out, rapidly enveloping the entire bathtub. Under his control, the water temperature began to rise.
"Thank you!"
Xie Qi glanced at Lu Ze with gratitude. He knew he was asking for a lot, but if he were to soak in cold water without heating it, he would likely catch a severe cold—and in this harsh environment, a minor cold could be fatal.
Having regained his composure, Lu Ze returned to his usual self. He nodded silently and exited the bathroom, heading to the living room to meet his teammates and discuss the plan for their next move.
By now, Xie Qi had stripped off his clothes and slowly stepped into the bathtub. The warm water gently caressed his skin, bringing an unprecedented sense of comfort. At this moment, the psychological trauma brought on by the original host also gradually eased, embraced and healed by the warmth. His suppressed anxiety finally began to relax. He closed his eyes, enjoying the tranquility of the moment.
The people downstairs, however, were not as relaxed.
Yu Tian sat at the table, pointing a gun at a room upstairs. "Captain, should we really trust him? Why don't I just go up and force him to tell us Professor Xie's whereabouts? Although I couldn't tell his ability at first glance, my gut tells me he's likely just an ordinary person."
"Brother! You shouldn't have agreed to him earlier! I strongly suspect that guy is playing us!" Lu Muyang pounded the table in frustration. He refused to believe that after they had searched for so long without finding the professor, a weakling like him would know where he was.
Song Chen, sitting on the sofa, squinted at the floor above, seemingly deep in thought. He looked at Lu Ze and said, "Captain, I actually don't think his behavior is like that of an ordinary person. The apocalypse has been going on for so long, yet he’s dressed just like he was before the end of the world. Perhaps he has some ability we aren't aware of."
Hearing this, Lu Muyang, sitting beside Song Chen, immediately lost his temper. "What ability! I think he’s just obsessed with looking good! He’s so pretentious; it’s the end of the world, and he still acts like some spoiled young master!"
Seeing Lu Muyang like this, Song Chen helplessly reached out and pulled him into his arms, whispering softly, "Yes, yes, my dear is absolutely right. It’s all my fault." His voice was filled with doting tenderness. Hearing this, Lu Muyang’s aggressive stance gradually softened.
Lu Ze paid little mind to his friend and his younger brother’s dynamic; they were often like this. Right now, all his attention was focused on a photo frame next to the television. He knew there were strange aspects to Xie Qi’s behavior, but finding the professor was the priority. As long as the man's requests weren't too excessive, meeting them wasn't hard to do.
Lu Ze picked up the photo of the original host and Professor Xie, contemplated it for a moment, and said, "He might not be lying to us. He really might know where the professor is."
Time trickled away, each second feeling agonizingly long. Lu Muyang grew increasingly impatient and restless. Finally, just as they were about to lose their patience, Xie Qi finished washing up and came downstairs.
"Sorry to have kept you waiting," Xie Qi said apologetically.
Hearing his voice, Lu Ze immediately stood up from the sofa, looked at Xie Qi, and asked directly, "Can you tell us where Professor Xie is now?"
Xie Qi wiped his dripping hair, nodded, and walked toward the door. "Follow me."
The group exchanged glances; despite their doubts, they followed Xie Qi without hesitation. When they reached the backyard of the villa, Lu Ze’s mood grew increasingly heavy and complex. He found it hard to believe that a living person could be within a hundred meters of him without him sensing it—unless, of course, the person no longer had vital signs.
When Xie Qi stopped and pointed at a mound of earth, Lu Ze’s heart was filled with shock. The scene before them confirmed his worst suspicions.
"The person you are looking for is right here." Xie Qi extended a hand, pointing calmly at a solitary grave not far away. The grave looked simple, yet the area around it was kept very tidy. In fact, it had been built by the original host himself.
"Are you messing with us?!" Lu Muyang demanded, his face full of disbelief and rage. He lunged toward Xie Qi, intending to teach him a lesson.
However, facing the aggressive Lu Muyang, Xie Qi merely smiled, sidestepped with agility, and easily avoided the attack. At the same time, he didn't forget to tease, "I just finished my bath. If you get me dirty, it’ll be your captain who has to deal with the trouble."
Lu Ze frowned at this, but he still shouted, "Muyang, calm down!"