Apocalyptic Era: Starting from picking up a Bishoujo
Chapter 251 - 235 Strangeness Coincidence 2

Chapter 251: 235 Strangeness Coincidence 2

Upon seeing this handsome and adorable youth, Fu Feng’s face instantly darkened as he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Although Fu Feng had confined Dong Che to the base, he evidently hadn’t strictly limited his range of activity. As long as he didn’t leave the base or contact the outside world, he was free to move around. That said, who could have expected him to appear before us just like waiting for a rabbit?

However, he answered with a refreshed look, "I had a premonition that Senior Zhuang Cheng might pass by here, so I waited in advance."

Hearing this, Fu Feng showed a look of resignation and could only say: "Oh, is that so? Truly befitting a top disciple of Gua Tianshi..."

"Please stop talking about Master, Senior Fu Feng. Master follows Extraordinaryism, while I adhere to Governance Ideology, and currently, we stand firmly against each other."

Dong Che first stated this seriously and then turned to me with an innocent smile, "Senior Zhuang Cheng, you were watching me all of last night, weren’t you? Why didn’t you talk to me? I really wanted to chat with you!

"How did you defeat the Great Demon Silver Moon? Is it true that you challenged Impermanence, the power behind Divine Spear? Please tell me! I want to know how to grow to be like you and also..."

I was once again taken aback by his enthusiasm, stepping back, and he, appearing to notice his own excessive ardor, couldn’t help but show a shy expression: "I’m sorry, I got too excited..."

While speaking, he looked around and then his gaze landed on Mazao.

Mazao had finished inspecting the Nameless pendant, confirming it had no backdoors, and now we were all wearing it. Thanks to this, she no longer needed to keep wearing her kitty whiskers mask. Dong Che probably saw her real face for the first time, glanced at her curiously, and then attempted once more to engage me in conversation.

Fu Feng seemed not inclined to chase Dong Che away any longer and simply took him along with us to tour the base. This time he didn’t bring us on an unused path, and occasionally other demon hunters appeared on our way. It seemed that the failure last time with the Nameless pendant was truly due to Dong Che’s talents alone, as the other demon hunters did not recognize me or Mazao but showed various reactions to Dong Che’s face.

As a "top disciple of Gua Tianshi," Dong Che was clearly a talented and famous individual. The gazes that converged on him were a mix of surprise and caution, and murmurs discussing him could be faintly heard in the distance. An unparalleled genius, a direct disciple of Impermanence, a future traitor to Governance Ideology... Whether they admired or antagonized him, they all showed an uncommon level of concern.

Yet he seemed to express an indifferent attitude toward those scrutinizing eyes and judgmental whispers.

For surveillance purposes, I also observed him covertly several times last night; he always noticed my gaze and tried to speak with me. I never engaged with him before, yet now he acted without any grudges, merely clinging to me with enthusiasm, hoping I would join him in conversation, as if his eyes saw only me.

It’s all Zhu Shi’s nonsense that’s to blame. And thinking about how this kid inexplicably touched my hand before, I actually feel a bit uneasy looking at him now. But that’s my own problem, and a secondary reason. It’s more like a joke said in passing rather than a genuine unease. I’m mostly just caught off guard. Because it seems he genuinely respects me a lot.

If he truly bears no ill will toward me and Mazao and is just sincerely admiring me, then it indeed seems inappropriate for me to be too cold to him. Or to put it more directly, it’s possible that I’m not very good at defending against this sort of popularity.

Fu Feng’s welcome is laced with strong utilitarian motives for persuasion, but Dong Che seems quite innocent. During the past, when I persistently pursued strange events, some considered me a freak, some looked down on me, some laughed at me, and while some approached me, it was with a morbid curiosity. Over time, I became sensitive to these gazes and could easily discern them.

I know how to deal with those malicious gazes, but such purely admiring ones from Dong Che leave me at a loss. Although I’ve previously commented that Mazao isn’t good at accepting lucky breaks, it appears I’m not much different myself.

Strictly speaking, it’s not the first time someone has expressed approval of me. I’ve encountered it once before, and soon after, we became friends. That person was Changan.

Could it be that I might also become friends with Dong Che? I briefly entertained the thought, then shook my head inwardly. At any other time, it might be fine, but now is not the time to make new friends. Instead of spending energy there, I would rather focus on how to get Mazao to believe and accept my true feelings.

I turned to look at Mazao, and suddenly, I remembered something very important...

Last night, when I confessed my true feelings to Mazao, did she mention that I liked her, and then did I say something like "That’s also a very important reason"... Did I directly admit it in front of her?

That time in the city hotel, I had just stayed on the level of "blunt implication," but last night I actually confessed. All my attention was on what I was going to say next, and only now do I realize it after the fact. Wait, that’s secondary. It’s just transitioning from a blunt hint to an explicit admission, nothing to be shaken by. The question is Mazao’s attitude—did she give a clear response to it?

I thoroughly combed through my memories, but couldn’t find any such trace. I couldn’t discern her exact stance toward my expression of affection. Does she find it acceptable, or does she think I’m an undesirable freak?

Asking her directly is not out of the question. Although Fu Feng and Dong Che are nearby now, I can simply find a private moment later. But having just discussed such a topic last night, would it come across as suspicious if I broached it so abruptly now? And even if she were willing to respond, she might consider my face and say some courtesy words.

As I pondered over and over again, I discovered even more things.

I noticed the left wrist of Mazao—she was still wearing a red GPS bracelet.

Why was she still wearing that bracelet? I had made it very clear to her that this was a tracking GPS device. Could it be that she was wearing it on purpose? But what for?

Thinking optimistically, it was possible that not only did I harbor romantic feelings for her, but she also had feelings for me, and the red GPS bracelet was the first gift I had given her. Even if she knew about my hidden ill intentions at the time, she still couldn’t bear to throw it away. It might even be seen as a proof of my dedication to her, an expression of affection with a different meaning.

But could such a good thing really be possible? All that about "even knowing the hidden ill intentions" and "seen as proof of dedication," isn’t this just interpreting things in a way that benefits me? Having these virgin-lolicon-level fantasies about a thirteen-year-old girl is even for me, a tad too much self-indulgent.

Besides, there’s a more plausible explanation. Because she took every sincere word I said as a benevolent lie, it’s very likely that she also considered my words "this is actually a GPS device" as part of the lies, or even possibly just forgot about them.

Could it be that she also didn’t take seriously my words about using Little Bowl Number Two as a final threat?

I had only heard of pretending to be a good person and not being believed, but this was my first encounter with acting as a bad person and still not being believed.

"Senior Zhuang Cheng, are you troubled by something?"

Dong Che asked with keen and caring eyes, then showed an eager expression, saying, "Could you share your troubles with me? Maybe I can help you solve them!"

"There’s no need for that."

I had to refocus my attention back to dealing with Dong Che.

Perhaps Mazao had noticed my dilemma; whenever Dong Che approached again, she would insert herself seriously between us, then look over with eyes that seemed to say the vehicle was full. Repeatedly thwarted, Dong Che turned his gaze back to Mazao without any sign of anger, but rather a puzzled expression as to why he was being hindered. Walking at the very front, Fu Feng turned to look back, his face revealing a cryptic smile once again. What was this middle-aged man smiling about?

"Right, Dong Che."

I had come across something noteworthy while flipping through my memories just now and took the opportunity to shift the topic over to him: "Did you mention last night that the Human Bureau researcher you caught outside had some suspicious points?"

On hearing this, Fu Feng seemed to perk up his ears as well; he might have been too busy expelling people last night, so he didn’t continue to inquire at the time.

Dong Che, however, froze for a moment, then excitedly said, "Senior Zhuang Cheng, do you really remember that brief statement of mine?"

"Because I have a good memory," I said. "Never mind that, what was suspicious about the researcher you caught?"

He immediately turned obedient, answering methodically, "Well, it’s like this. First, that researcher escaped from the old Human Bureau base... that is, the base you, Senior Zhuang Cheng, recently infiltrated and destroyed."

"That place indeed had two researchers who escaped; the one you caught was one of them, right?" Fu Feng seemed to have also followed that battle.

From the old Human Bureau base to this area, it is at least a thousand kilometers in a straight line. How could that unnamed researcher manage to escape to a place like this in just two days? Dong Che did say that he caught the person on a train, after all, it is possible with long-distance modern transportation.

Yet, the person came to such a distant locale, was coincidentally captured by the passing Dong Che, coincidentally sent to the Fufeng Base, and coincidentally, Mazao and I overheard this matter...

Such a level of coincidence can only be attributed to the "meddling" of "some force."

—Or possibly a "revelation."

Mazao and I exchanged a glance.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.