Chapter 316- Cultured Villain vs. Humanoid Weapon (21)
Jian Minghui pulled out a small raincoat he always kept in his pocket for emergencies, waving it in front of Mu Jin with an almost childlike urgency. “Baby, is it okay?” he asked. “Say it’s okay, my love—I want to hear you say it!”
It was rare to see him acting so playful. Mu Jin froze for a moment, glancing at the small box and then at the room around them. The doors were locked, and the accommodations—though modest—were far better than what they usually encountered on the road.
Suppressing a fleeting guilt about how this room was originally intended to be shared with Shi Haoyu and Lou Bin, he nodded to his lover.
The moment Mu Jin nodded, Jian Minghui’s eyes lit up with delight. His previously restrained actions became unbridled, his urgency now fully unleashed. At that moment, he needed Mu Jin’s presence to soothe his restless heart, and Mu Jin’s consent was the best comfort he could ask for.
When the two of them finally came together, Jian Minghui let out a satisfied sigh. He lowered his head to kiss away the slight furrow in Mu Jin’s brow caused by initial discomfort and held him tightly in his arms.
Inwardly, he vowed: from this moment onward, Mu Jin was completely his. He finally had a family of his own. From now on, they would never be apart.
As for the family he once thought he belonged to, Jian Minghui no longer cared.
His father’s act of saving Jian Zhengqing’s life was a debt he no longer wanted to linger over. Jian Zhengqing had raised him for so many years, and Jian Minghui acknowledged that kindness. But the years of harm and abuse he had endured from Chen Shuyun were wounds he couldn’t forgive.
Even if Jian Zhengqing hadn’t known about the abuse, what did it matter? Jian Minghui’s heart had long since drifted away from that family. Now, all he wanted was to cherish the person in his arms.
With a tender kiss to Mu Jin’s brow, Jian Minghui silently promised himself: ‘this man was his salvation.’
The two spent a warm and intimate night together, their world entirely their own.
The next morning, Mu Jin woke up in his lover’s embrace. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Jian Minghui’s strong chest. He tilted his head upward to meet Jian Minghui’s gentle gaze and placed a soft kiss on his chin.
“Good morning,” he murmured. But as the words left his lips, Mu Jin realized his voice was hoarse beyond recognition.
Frowning slightly, Jian Minghui immediately reached for the water he had set on the bedside table. He helped Mu Jin drink, his movements tender and attentive. Only after finishing more than half the bottle did Mu Jin feel the dryness in his throat begin to subside.
Yesterday, Jian Minghui had been mindful of the fact that it was Mu Jin’s first time, so he remained incredibly gentle and restrained, careful not to push too far. Everything felt perfectly timed and well-balanced. Mu Jin, for his part, wasn’t someone who typically held back. However, considering that this wasn’t exactly a “safe zone” and that they’d have to be on the road again the next day, he refrained from teasing his partner or indulging too much.
Even so, the two of them felt deeply joyful and content in each other’s company.
Noticing that it was getting late, Jian Minghui quickly dressed himself and then carefully helped Mu Jin with his clothes. Once his little partner was ready, the two left the room together and headed to the dining area.
On their way, they ran into several people who greeted them. Jian Minghui responded to each one with a polite smile.
Mu Jin could clearly sense that something about Jian Minghui had changed after last night. In the past, the man often wore a smile, but Mu Jin could tell it was just a façade—a mask that concealed his true feelings.
Now, however, it was as though Jian Minghui had broken free from some invisible shackle. His demeanor was more genuine, and his smiles carried a newfound warmth. No matter the cause, this change was undoubtedly a good thing. Mu Jin hoped that the person he loved could live freely and without restraint.
Even when they encountered Jian Mingyuan, Jian Minghui took the initiative to nod at him and call out, “Big brother.”
Jian Mingyuan was visibly startled by the term. Though he had looked out for Jian Minghui over the years, and their relationship on the surface had remained cordial, it had been many years since Jian Minghui had addressed him as “big brother.”
Noticing Jian Minghui’s genuine smile and calm demeanor, Jian Mingyuan’s usually stern expression softened. Watching the interaction between Jian Minghui and Mu Jin, a faint warmth flickered in his eyes.
Before Chen Shuyun came downstairs for breakfast, Jian Mingyuan casually took two slices of ham from his plate and handed them to Mu Jin and Jian Minghui. As for the last slice, he naturally set it aside for Chen Shuyun.
Mu Jin and Jian Minghui did not refuse Jian Mingyuan’s kind gesture. The atmosphere among them was harmonious and warm, which intrigued the group who had gone on the picnic with them the day before. Watching the scene, they couldn’t help but feel surprised and silently marvel at how difficult things must have been for the Jian brothers.
However, this peaceful atmosphere disappeared without a trace once Chen Shuyun came downstairs.
Jian Mingyuan, recalling the things Chen Shuyun had said to him the previous day, felt a sudden pang of guilt when facing Jian Minghui. As for Jian Minghui, he no longer had the patience to feign civility with Chen Shuyun and simply ignored her outright.
Chen Shuyun, oblivious to the shift in dynamics at the table, continued chatting idly with Wei Xuezhen as she usually did. However, she noticed that Wei Xuezhen seemed strangely stiff today—both in her tone and body language—though she couldn’t quite figure out why.
Meanwhile, Mu Jin ate his bowl of porridge with large spoonfuls, his mind already wandering to their upcoming departure.
From his memories of the original storyline, he recalled that after Jian Minghui overheard the conversation between Jian Mingyuan and Chen Shuyun, the group encountered several small-scale zombie hordes while traveling.
Currently, many members of their team had begun to reach the peak of Level 1 abilities. Over the past few days, even Wei Xuezhen and Cuntou had advanced to Level 2. At the same time, zombies were continuing to evolve.
Based on the timeline, Mu Jin knew they would face their first wave of a zombie horde after setting out today. What’s more, these waves would increasingly include higher-level zombies, making the journey ahead progressively more dangerous.
Still, Mu Jin wasn’t too worried. Jian Minghui’s psychic abilities had been growing stronger by the day, and with his own presence in the group, Mu Jin felt confident that things would turn out differently. He also believed that Jian Minghui, having found closure, would no longer be driven to retaliate against Chen Shuyun.
However, while Jian Minghui refrained from targeting Chen Shuyun, it didn’t mean that Chen Shuyun wouldn’t dig her own grave. At the dining table earlier, Mu Jin had noticed the blatant malice in Chen Shuyun’s gaze toward Jian Minghui and knew that this woman would not let things rest so easily.
Soon after they set out, the group encountered a zombie horde. At first, everyone remained in their respective vehicles, which ensured relative safety.
The real problem arose when the area also revealed the presence of mutated plants. These plants, armed with thorny, spiked vines, launched an ambush. Combined with the zombies attacking from both the front and rear, the onslaught caused significant damage to their vehicles. In particular, three cars suffered burst tires.
The most critical issue was that two of the damaged vehicles were commuter buses, which had been carrying a large number of passengers. With these buses out of commission, the question arose: would all those passengers now have to walk to the base on foot?
Walking in such a perilous environment was obviously a risky choice, but abandoning so many people was out of the question.
Fortunately, they were not far from the Pingcheng Base. The team quickly reorganized: those who were weak or unfit for walking were crammed into the remaining vehicles, while a smaller group of people, mostly able-bodied individuals, had to proceed on foot. To ensure safety, several powerful ability users stayed behind to protect the walking group.
The team thus split into two: one group that would drive quickly to the Pingcheng Base and another that would walk, carrying more supplies to guarantee their safety on the way.
As some of the most capable members, Mu Jin, Jian Mingyuan, and Lou Bin stayed behind with the walking group. Meanwhile, Shi Haoyu and a few other ability users were assigned to accompany the vehicles.
What came as a surprise, however, was that Chen Shuyun, an ordinary human without abilities, chose to stay behind. Jian Mingyuan had initially hoped she would take a car and get to the base as quickly as possible, but Chen Shuyun insisted on remaining with him.
In truth, her motives were far from pure. She believed that during this journey, she might find an opportunity to get rid of Jian Minghui, so leaving early was not an option for her.
Though traveling on foot lacked the convenience of vehicles, Mu Jin’s presence proved invaluable. With the help of System 003, he easily mapped out a safe route, avoiding particularly dangerous areas. This ensured the walking group wouldn’t face undue hardship despite the situation.
Once they crossed the barren plains, they would come upon a small town. Mu Jin planned to explore the area when they arrived, hoping to secure more vehicles and fuel to make the rest of the journey smoother.