Chapter Twenty-Six: Why Doesn't He Believe?

But it didn’t matter. Lin Qisheng smiled with quiet confidence; regardless of Xu Nuo’s current attitude, he had already mapped out her future.

“I came to see you today because I have something to tell you.”

“What is it?” Xu Nuo asked.

Lin Qisheng’s expression turned serious. “Soon, the zombies in the vicinity will be driven into this city and destroyed. The army has established a large safe base in the south to take in all survivors. I’m responsible for searching for survivors, and you’re one of them. It’s my duty to take you away.”

There were barely one in ten humans left in this city—making it an ideal place to concentrate and eradicate the zombies. Yet the authorities, still guided by humanitarian principles, had sent advance teams to search for survivors.

Xu Nuo had previously seen spoilers in the bullet comments: the city would ultimately fall to a tidal wave of zombies, but she didn’t know the specifics. What Lin Qisheng said didn’t really contradict what she knew; with 007 around, it was difficult to get more spoilers. It was hard to tell whether Lin Qisheng was telling the truth.

“Miss Xu, do you really plan on staying in this mountain hollow forever?” Lin Qisheng pressed. “This place can’t be safe and stable forever. The base in the south is heavily guarded by the military, filled with many people with abilities, as well as ordinary people. That’s where you truly belong.”

“A person with your strength shouldn’t be wasting away in a place like this. Miss Xu, you should see the world outside. That’s where you can truly shine.”

“But I like this kind of life,” Xu Nuo replied. “Eat and sleep, sleep and eat—what could be better?”

“Tch,” Lin Qisheng couldn’t tell if she was being sincere or just trying to provoke him. “But I’ve already told you, soon this place will be overrun by zombies and destroyed. You can’t expect to live here in peace forever.”

“Alright, I’ll think about it,” Xu Nuo answered.

After this exchange, all the composure Lin Qisheng had when he first arrived was gone, replaced by impatience and irritation. Xu Nuo, on the other hand, remained unchanged—unmoved by anything, her expression calm and unreadable. It made Lin Qisheng’s teeth itch with frustration.

“Miss Xu, when you left last time without a word, I missed you terribly.”

“Oh, did you?” Xu Nuo replied.

Damn it, could she at least react with a little more emotion? Lin Qisheng pinched the bridge of his nose, then suddenly smiled with a hint of mischief. “Miss Xu, I’m curious—what exactly is Brother Gu to you? What place does he hold in your heart?”

Outside the door, footsteps were so light as to be almost inaudible.

“Why are you so interested in him?” Xu Nuo countered. “Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for him?”

“Nonsense!” Lin Qisheng blurted out, offended. “I’m concerned about you, obviously.”

“So?”

“So I want to take you away.” Lin Qisheng was always forthright with his feelings; he had the confidence for it, without needing to second-guess himself. He made no secret of his special fondness for Xu Nuo. “Take you to a place that’s truly right for you.” Not wasting away here, dragged down by that useless Gu Xingze.

He didn’t voice the latter part. He didn’t want to quarrel with Xu Nuo unnecessarily—especially given how fiercely she defended Gu Xingze. He knew he’d get nowhere.

But the question still gnawed at him: why did Xu Nuo treat Gu Xingze so differently?

Wait—he had almost forgotten. “You still haven’t answered me: what exactly is Brother Gu to you?”

“Do I have to tell you?” Xu Nuo looked puzzled. “Am I obliged to explain my feelings to you?”

“Tch…” Lin Qisheng grumbled to himself. Xu Nuo always had a way of saying the most wounding things in the most matter-of-fact tone.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Xu Nuo called.

The door opened and Gu Xingze stepped in, showing no surprise at Lin Qisheng’s presence. He was focused entirely on the bowl of wontons in his hands. “I made you a midnight snack,” he said to Xu Nuo.

“Wow, thank you, Brother Gu.”

The aroma of the wontons was irresistible. Xu Nuo didn’t care about Lin Qisheng’s mood; she dove right in.

Gu Xingze turned to Lin Qisheng. “It’s late. Time to rest.”

Lin Qisheng refused to back down. “Heh. It’s been a while. I just wanted to check on Miss Xu.”

“You’ve seen her now,” Gu Xingze replied.

The unspoken message: now you can leave.

Tension hung in the air, like a battle about to erupt. Only Xu Nuo seemed oblivious, enjoying her wontons with complete contentment.

“Heh, I won’t disturb you any longer,” Lin Qisheng said, flicking his sleeve as he left—vaulting out the window in a single leap. But then he circled back quietly; he wanted to see for himself what sort of relationship Xu Nuo and Gu Xingze really had, why she was so loyal to him.

Inside, nothing about their interaction stood out. Gu Xingze was taciturn as ever. Once Xu Nuo finished eating, he simply gathered the dishes and left. Everything seemed perfectly normal.

Lin Qisheng couldn’t help comparing himself to Gu Xingze. He had always been confident in his looks—back in the peaceful days, he’d been the heartthrob of his school, with countless admirers. Gu Xingze was decent-looking, he supposed, but not as attractive as himself. As for ability, Lin Qisheng was a powerful fire-wielder—no one dared cross him in this post-apocalyptic world. Gu Xingze might also be an ability user, but in Lin Qisheng’s eyes, he lacked both reputation and presence.

So what was it about this guy that captivated Xu Nuo?

Was it really just that he could cook?

After rinsing her mouth, Xu Nuo was about to return to bed when Lin Qisheng’s figure suddenly appeared by the window.

“What the—what are you doing?” She was so startled she almost swore. He was as spooky as a ghost.

“Miss Xu, I have a question,” Lin Qisheng said, his expression very serious.

“…Go ahead,” Xu Nuo replied.

With great solemnity, he asked, “What do you like most about Gu Xingze? If I did the same thing as him—reached that same quality you like—what would you do?”

A long silence followed.

For a moment, Xu Nuo was at a loss for words.

What did she like most about Gu Xingze?

Could she tell Lin Qisheng that Gu Xingze was just one of her targets to win over? Judging by Lin Qisheng’s persistence, he wouldn’t leave without an answer.

She thought carefully, and then her eyes lit up. “I like that he cooks for me.”

“…Cooking?” Lin Qisheng was stunned.

Was that really her answer?

“If you were good at cooking, I’d stick to you, too. It’s so hard to find a good chef these days,” Xu Nuo said, half-convincing herself as she spoke. She was still staying with Gu Xingze to build up her points, but even if she left, she might not get them elsewhere. The real reason she didn’t want to leave was the thought of losing those delicious daily meals.

Lin Qisheng took several seconds to process this answer, trying to figure out if she was just making fun of him. Unable to tell, he finally asked, “Is that… really true?” He simply couldn’t believe it.