No one could stay calm after being played for a second time, yet they knew well that while the words coming from this person sounded absurd, there was no reason for him to concoct such an outrageous lie to toy with them.
Everything before their eyes was conveying a cruel and desperate truth: Professor Xie, once regarded as their only hope, had passed away.
This sudden, devastating news struck everyone present like a thunderbolt. For a moment, a wave of complex emotions surged in their hearts.
"Hey, don't look so dejected! The situation might not be as bad as you imagine."
Lu Ze was pulled back to reality by Xie Qi’s words. He looked at him and asked with slight hesitation, "May I ask, what is your relationship with Professor Xie?"
Xie Qi’s lips curled into a slight smile, and he replied, "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Xie Qi. I’m the grandson of the Professor Xie you speak of."
Xie Qi continued, "I know the purpose of your visit to find my grandfather was nothing more than the research into the zombie virus. Although my grandfather is no longer here, perhaps his remaining notes can provide you with some value."
Hearing this, Lu Ze subconsciously reached out and gripped Xie Qi’s arm tightly. His eyes were full of urgency as he pressed, "Where are those notes kept?"
But when he saw the stunned look on Xie Qi’s face caused by his sudden move, Lu Ze realized his lapse in composure as if waking from a dream. He quickly let go, apologizing with some embarrassment, "I’m sorry..."
Xie Qi, still in a daze, stared at the spot where he had just been held. He couldn't figure out why he could be so quick and agile when dodging Lu Muyang, yet remained completely defenseless when facing the male lead’s closeness.
"It’s okay, I don’t mind you touching me."
The moment the words left his lips, Xie Qi finally realized what he had said and froze. He couldn't believe he had said something like that so naturally to someone he had only known for a few hours.
However, seeing the equally bewildered and at-a-loss expression on Lu Ze’s face, Xie Qi suddenly felt that this wasn't bad at all.
Xie Qi gave a light cough and walked to the side as if nothing had happened, saying, "The notes are in the basement. Follow me."
The others followed behind, huddled together and whispering to each other.
Lu Muyang, while clutching Lu Ze’s arm, lowered his voice as if afraid of being heard. He muttered, "Brother, am I that dirty? Why does he dodge me like I’m the plague? I thought we showered on the same day."
Yu Tian, standing beside Song Chen, joked in an almost imperceptible whisper, "The Captain lets him shower, can you say the same?"
"..."
Lu Ze ignored his teammates' banter and followed Xie Qi all the way to the locked door of the basement.
However, when they stared at the dark, deep entrance before them, a trace of hesitation and caution washed over them. After all, in this apocalyptic world, one had to remain vigilant and not trust others easily; no one could guarantee that everyone was a good person.
At that moment, Lu Ze felt the gazes of his teammates behind him, all waiting for him to make a decision. These gazes were filled with trust, as if they would follow him without hesitation the moment he confirmed it was safe.
But this time, Lu Ze felt a bit guilty. He didn't know if going in was safe; he only had an inexplicable trust in Xie Qi.
Once they reached the basement and witnessed the scene inside, they finally believed what Xie Qi had told them earlier.
Xie Qi sat on a chair next to the lab bench and said, "Everything is here. You can pack it up."
It wasn't that Xie Qi didn't want to pack things neatly, but the lab was simply too chaotic, and being someone who preferred to slack off, he decided to let the male lead and his team handle the organizing.
But when Xie Qi saw them about to touch the bottles and jars on the table, he immediately stopped them: "Don't touch those! Those bottles contain the zombie virus."
"Virus?!" Yu Tian’s hand froze in mid-air, and he immediately scrambled far away. Even though he was an ability user, if an ability user got infected, they would still turn into a zombie.
Xie Qi, who had originally intended to slack off, sighed and stood up. He walked to the table and, relying on his memory, sorted out the bottles containing the virus. Regrettably, there was not a single bottle of virus serum among them.
It seemed the System was right; the only successfully developed virus serum was inside his own body.
"Alright, the rest should be enough for you to take back and finish your mission. I believe someone in your base will be able to understand these materials."
With that done, Xie Qi sat back in the chair and closed his eyes to rest.
Lu Ze picked up the notes on the table and looked at them for a while, but realized he couldn't make sense of them. He shifted his gaze to Xie Qi. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "You... we will be leaving here soon. Are you coming back to the base with us?"
Xie Qi, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened one eye and met Lu Ze’s gaze. Noticing the unnatural look on Lu Ze’s face, Xie Qi’s lips curled up involuntarily. He asked in a relaxed tone, "Captain, I’m just an ordinary person. Are you really planning to bring a burden like me along?"
As soon as the words were spoken, not only was Lu Ze surprised, but the others who were busy packing and eavesdropping were also stunned. Although they had guessed before, they were more inclined to believe he was an ability user.
After all, in this environment where the apocalypse had long since descended, it was hard to believe that someone who could remain so calm and keep such neat, proper attire was merely an ordinary person.
However, Lu Ze only paused for a few seconds before answering without hesitation, "You don't need to worry. Since I’ve decided to bring you back to the base, I will take responsibility for you." His eyes were firm and sincere, as if conveying a sense of trust and security to Xie Qi.
Beyond the fact that he was Professor Xie’s grandson, Lu Ze had his own selfish reasons. Even though he didn't know why this person had such a massive impact on his emotions, he wanted to see this person stay alive and well.
Hearing this, Xie Qi’s lips curved into a playful smile. He stared intensely into Lu Ze’s eyes and teased, "Alright then, Captain, you’d better take responsibility for me."
As soon as Xie Qi finished, Lu Ze visibly froze. He hadn't expected his own words to be misinterpreted.
Facing Xie Qi’s gaze, Lu Ze quickly turned his head away, not daring to look at him again, and silently began sorting through the materials with the other eavesdropping teammates.
Just then, the System's voice suddenly echoed in Xie Qi’s mind: "Host? Have you taken a liking to the male lead?"
948’s tone was full of curiosity, and if one listened closely, a hint of unconcealed delight could be detected.
Clearly, the System was paying unusual attention to the interaction between Xie Qi and the male lead and held certain expectations for the development of their relationship.
However, Xie Qi didn't notice the joy in the System’s voice. He replied flatly, "How could that be? Even whirlwind romances aren't that fast. We’ve only known each other for a few hours."
"Tch! If you don't like him, don't flirt with him, you scumbag!" After dropping this comment, the System quickly slipped back into the System Space, as if it didn't want to stay a second longer.
Xie Qi was left somewhat baffled by the sudden accusation, unable to respond for a moment.
Because even Xie Qi himself couldn't explain where this inexplicable sense of closeness to the male lead came from.