The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 24

Xie Cheng had a good dream.

In the dream, there was a calm, wave-less sea surrounded by lush flowers and grass. A small dog with pricked ears circled him, barking and making a playful fuss.

When he woke up, he was no longer on a drafty car roof but in a warm, comfortable bed. The duvet was soft, fitting perfectly against his body. An arm was wrapped around his waist—it was Jiang Yi.

After becoming familiar with each other, some people felt as though all distance between them had vanished. Take Jiang Yi, for example, who had forced himself into Xie Cheng’s embrace, hugging him like a bear as he slept. He was radiating heat like a freshly steamed bun. Soft and warm, he made for a very suitable body pillow.

Xie Cheng exhaled softly, intentionally puffing the warm air against Jiang Yi’s cheek. This was exactly the kind of thing Jiang Yi would do.

No reaction?

Xie Cheng leaned in closer, his slightly parted lips almost brushing against Jiang Yi’s cheek. He noticed how much Jiang Yi’s skin had tanned from long-term exposure to the elements; it felt a bit rough, and pressing his lips against it was slightly abrasive.

He loves kissing my cheeks so much. Is this how it feels when he kisses me?

This question surfaced rather suddenly in the morning. Xie Cheng performed a silly action: he reached out to stroke Jiang Yi’s face and pressed his lips against it for a moment.

Still the same. prickly feeling.

“Haha! Caught you!”

Jiang Yi suddenly snapped his eyes open. He grabbed Xie Cheng’s wrist, hooked his right leg over Xie Cheng’s waist, and flipped them over, pinning the Immortal to the bed.

Xie Cheng’s back hit the mattress softly.

“Bad Xie Cheng, what were you just trying to do?”

Xie Cheng’s left wrist was still held tight; he couldn’t break free for the moment. He stopped struggling, let his head sink into the pillow, and stared at the man who had been faking sleep.

“Tell me, tell me! What were you doing just now?”

“Seeing how thick your skin is.”

Jiang Yi pinched his own “thick skin” and spoke in a high-pitched voice, “Well? Is it thick?”

Xie Cheng’s tone was casual. “Exceptionally thick.”

“Then do you like thick skin or thin skin?”

“What, can you change it?”

“Of course! My skin can be thick or thin on command.” Jiang Yi lowered his head, his nose seeking out Xie Cheng’s. “Want to feel it again? Do you? Do you?”

Xie Cheng’s eyes flickered as he looked at him, not moving away from the intimacy. The braids from yesterday had been undone likely washed by Jiang Yi and his silver hair was spread across the pillow, sleek and fragrant with a faint floral scent.

Jiang Yi couldn’t help but lean in further, burying his face in the long hair and taking a deep breath.

“Jiang Yi.”

Xie Cheng called his name. He didn’t want him to do anything specific; he just wanted to say it. He raised his hand, his cool fingertips brushing lightly against Jiang Yi’s cheek. It was light and slow. Jiang Yi couldn’t help but squirm. “Mm… that tickles.”

“Jiang Yi,” Xie Cheng called again.

“Yeah?” Jiang Yi tilted his head, rubbing his cheek whether thick or thin against Xie Cheng’s hand. “Do you want to touch.  touch my face?”

Jiang Yi looked at him. Xie Cheng’s current appearance was a far cry from his usual self. His normally pale face had taken on a healthy pink glow from their proximity. To Jiang Yi, it looked like the faint horizon light when ice and snow begin to melt a rare, breathtaking beauty.

Jiang Yi’s nose kept brushing against that pink hue. He was so close he could see a tiny pink mole on the right side of Xie Cheng’s jaw, near his ear. It was small and incredibly cute.

Jiang Yi reached out his tongue and licked it.

“Not today,” Xie Cheng said, his voice slightly raspy but maintaining its usual tone.

It was a highly suggestive sentence. Jiang Yi looked up. “Why, why, why?”

“I’m a bit tired today. Maybe another day.”

“Oh.” Jiang Yi slumped onto Xie Cheng’s chest in disappointment, idly playing with his fingers. “Fine then.”

“Get up.”

Jiang Yi cautiously took one of Xie Cheng’s fingers into his mouth and gave a muffled refusal. “I don’t want to.”

Xie Cheng let out another long, slow exhale, his gaze drifting toward the grey sky outside the window. “I’ll give you half an hour.”

“Xie Cheng!” Jiang Yi whined.

“What?”

Jiang Yi nuzzled him. “Doing it like this. you’re really a mood killer.”

Xie Cheng:

Jiang Yi blushed. “The… ‘reaction’ is going to run away.”

Xie Cheng pushed him, a shallow smile touching his lips. “I didn’t have a ‘reaction’ to begin with.”

Jiang Yi began to fake-cry. “Waaaaa”

***

It was hard to tell the time on such an overcast day. Xie Cheng estimated it was late enough and pushed Jiang Yi away to change into clean clothes. He stepped out of the steaming bedroom.

Immortal Base. fine, let’s just use that name.

Xie Cheng scanned the growing base. The entire villa district was now enclosed by a sturdy metal wall, electrified and formidable. The new ability users were full of enthusiasm, joining the squad’s early morning Tai Chi class in the clearing.

Xie Cheng rubbed his eyes. Unbelievable.

Tang Ling and Jiang Shui hadn’t returned yet. Only Old Qian and Yu Yuyu remained to organize the training. Xie Cheng remembered the rambling things Jiang Yi had said while he was unconscious and looked at the two of them.

Old Qian had changed into even more flamboyant clothes, looking like a pre-apocalypse triad boss. Meanwhile, Yu Yuyu had somehow found a Barbie doll, cut off its hair, and used her skillful hands to make a perfect wig for her ragdoll.

Unfortunately, it was neon green. Xie Cheng chose to be respectful.

“Immortal Brother, are you feeling better?” Yu Yuyu finished her Tai Chi moves and ran over when she spotted him.

Xie Cheng patted her head. “Much better.”

Yu Yuyu observed him for a long time before touching her own forehead. “The little flower on your head is gone. Did a bad person pull it off?”

The “Bad Person” himself replied: “No, it fell off on its own.”

Xie Cheng hadn’t revealed his true nature to the squad, and they were tactful enough not to ask. Everyone in the apocalypse had secrets, and they handled personal boundaries well.

Yu Yuyu started biting her finger a habit she had when she was anxious. “Immortal Brother, will the flower grow back?”

“I don’t know.”

They really are from the same team; she asks the same questions as her Captain.

“Then. if we water your head more, will it grow back faster?”

Xie Cheng: “…”

Yu Yuyu suddenly closed her eyes, using her mental power to search for something. After a long while, she opened them with a look of self-reproach. “Sorry, Immortal Brother. I can’t talk to the flower.”

“How is that a fault?”

Yu Yuyu sighed. “The Captain said that without the flower, Immortal Brother is unhappy. Maybe if it grows back, you’ll be happier. So, if we put fertilizer on your head, will it grow back faster?”

Xie Cheng: “…”

The silent Xie Cheng looked up at the sky. The heavy clouds were thinning, letting a few slivers of light through. But he didn’t stay; Jiang Yi arrived with news. Tang Ling and Jiang Shui had brought the Captain of the Central Base back, but the mutated Level 4 zombie had escaped again.

****

“Hello, Leader Xie. Forgive the intrusion. I am Zhou Yan, Captain of the Central Base. I’m here to handle the cooperation between our bases.”

Inside the central row house, Tang Ling was leading the guests in. A man with a buzz cut strode forward, offering his hand to Xie Cheng.

Xie Cheng didn’t react immediately. The living room was filled with mahogany furniture—not a dignified red, but a garish shade. On the wall behind the sofa hung a massive cross-stitch of “Flowers Blooming for Wealth,” in loud reds and purples.

The decor was an assault on the eyes. Xie Cheng was truly shocked. It felt like stepping into a temporal rift. Which ‘genius’ came up with this? Jiang Yi, Old Qian, or Jiang Shui?

“Leader Xie?” Zhou Yan prompted.

Xie Cheng:Leader?

Out of politeness, Xie Cheng shook his hand. Zhou Yan’s serious face relaxed slightly as Tang Ling led him to the sofa. He got straight to the point. “Rising Sun Base has behaved abominably, violating regulations by conducting human experiments. Leader Xie, I hope our bases can cooperate to capture those responsible.”

Xie Cheng caught a phrase. “Those responsible?”

“Yes. We’ve confirmed that the experiments were organized by a man named Xu Le.” Zhou Yan leaned forward. Tang Ling served two cups of tea.

Xie Cheng leisurely toyed with his tea lid, in no rush to answer.

“When Xu Le and Dr. Ming fled, they took a large amount of drugs and experimental data. We can’t guarantee they won’t continue elsewhere. Furthermore, the Level 4 zombie with self-awareness has also escaped.”

Zhou Yan spoke with urgency. Xie Cheng observed his reaction and said, “Captain Zhou, as you can see, our base is newly established. We are short-handed and lack unified training. Going on a mission might be difficult.”

“Jiang Yi’s squad is famous not just in Rising Sun, but in all bases,” Zhou Yan said, his voice dropping an octave.

The news of Jiang Yi reaching Level 4 had spread everywhere. And this “Leader Xie,” whom few had seen, was an unknown variable whose power likely exceeded Level 4.

“Oh” Xie Cheng said slowly. “So you’re here for the reputation of Jiang Yi’s squad.”

“Leader Xie, we”

Xie Cheng raised a hand to cut him off. “Regrettably, Jiang Yi’s squad belongs to the Immortal Base now. As you said, this is a cooperation between bases, not the Central Base hiring Jiang Yi’s squad.”

Zhou Yan stood up abruptly. “Leader Xie, perhaps my wording was poor. I didn’t—”

“Cooperation isn’t impossible. But Captain Zhou needs to think clearly about what is most important in a partnership.” Xie Cheng spoke unhurriedly, pressed the lid back onto his tea, and patted Jiang Yi beside him. “You, come out with me.”

He stood up and told Tang Ling, “Captain Zhou has traveled far; arrange for him to rest. We’ll discuss the rest later.”

****

As they rounded the back of the row house, Xie Cheng realized the entire area had changed. The small gardens that had been empty after the acid rains were now filled with clusters of red, yellow, and green.

What is this?

Xie Cheng touched a petal. It felt artificial. They were plastic flowers—likely stripped from funeral wreaths. Large and small, they were crowded together in an absurd display of “beauty.” He could even smell a pungent, chemical scent.

He turned around. Jiang Yi was nearby, fiddling with a bent plastic flower. He looked up and grinned. “What do you think? Feel familiar?”

“Are you sick?” Xie Cheng asked coldly.

“I’m fine!” Jiang Yi held a plastic flower over his head. “I couldn’t find real ones.”

“So it was your ‘genius’ idea.”

Jiang Yi hesitated, then shook his head, shifting the blame. “It was Jiang Shui and Xiao Yu’s idea.”

Xie Cheng: 

“Their taste has always been unique,” Jiang Yi said, looking pained as he put a hand to his forehead. “I told them, but they wouldn’t listen.”

Xie Cheng snorted. Right. This one is the real ‘genius’.

When Jiang Yi was guilty, he fidgeted. He started tugging at his clothes, his gaze wandering. “The warehouse has a lot of stuff. Want to go see?”

“Forget it. Do whatever you want.” These people are a lost cause. Their eyes must have been affected by the acid rain to think this looked good.

Xie Cheng wanted to sit. He saw a massive, exaggerated wooden chair under a tree. It was made of expensive rosewood with gold paint, though much of it was peeling. A cartoon-patterned cushion sat on top of it.

“Jiang Shui hauled that out of a museum,” Jiang Yi said excitedly. “Supposedly it was a Prince’s chair from the old days.”

Xie Cheng: “…”

“I wanted to put it in our bedroom,” Jiang Yi sighed. “Too bad it’s a bit broken.”

“?” Xie Cheng was confused. “Why the bedroom?”

“It’s big and wide… definitely comfortable.”

Xie Cheng: “…”

Jiang Yi patted his reddening face and pushed Xie Cheng into the chair. He leaned down, his lips brushing Xie Cheng’s ear. “Well? Feel like a powerful Prince?”

“I feel like killing someone.”

Jiang Yi hugged himself. “Oh! Don’t kill me! My meat isn’t tasty. Kill… uh, kill Xiao Yu. She’s small; her meat must be tender.”

“Have you…” Xie Cheng’s gaze moved from the cowlick on Jiang Yi’s head to his innocent eyes, finally landing on his hands covering his chest. He reached out and pressed down on Jiang Yi’s shoulder.

It wasn’t heavy, but Jiang Yi took the opportunity to roll into Xie Cheng’s lap. “Ah, Jiang Yi is here!”

Xie Cheng stared at the man clinging to him. “Have you done something else wrong?”

“What do you mean ‘else’?” Jiang Yi widened his eyes. “I haven’t done anything wrong at all.”

“Explain the Central Base people.”

“Tang Ling brought them back, not me.”

Xie Cheng arched an eyebrow, his finger sliding from Jiang Yi’s forehead to his lips, pressing down. “Without your instructions, she’d bring them straight here?”

“Of course! You know Tang Ling; she’s very independent. She doesn’t listen to her Captain at all.”

“Should I call her over to verify that?”

“No, let’s not,” Jiang Yi said quickly. “She’s practicing her knives. Let’s not disturb her.”

Xie Cheng leaned down, his voice low with a hint of a smile. “Guilty.”

The warm breath hit Jiang Yi’s ear, making it tingle. He blushed and hugged Xie Cheng’s arm. “No! Absolutely not!”

“Is that so?”

Jiang Yi tried to shrink his neck, but Xie Cheng tilted his chin up. The touch was light but vivid. Jiang Yi simply rested his chin in Xie Cheng’s hand.

“You aren’t good at the ‘act first, explain later’ routine. Don’t do it again.” Xie Cheng’s voice cooled slightly.

Jiang Yi looked at him piteously and moved his head so Xie Cheng could pet it. He knew Xie Cheng liked that. “I understand,” he promised.

Xie Cheng didn’t pet him, just acknowledged it.

“Are we still going after Xu Le?”

“Yes. Of course.”

After many days in this world, Xie Cheng finally remembered the “Romance Mission.” He let Jiang Yi play with his fingers and thought lazily: I hope the Protagonist Gong is still alive. Otherwise, a ‘human-ghost’ romance in the apocalypse might be a bit much.

……

CRAAAASH!

Xiao Yu was slammed hard against the cold wall. Grimacing, he clutched his bleeding chest, coughing as the taste of iron filled his mouth. His vision was blurry, but he focused on the figure approaching him.

As the shadow loomed over him, Xiao Yu tried to reach for the hem of his clothes. “Xu… Le…”

“The experiment was a success, Xiao Yu. Congratulations on surviving. You’ve successfully replaced that Level 4 zombie.”

In the sealed lab, Xu Le was wearing a lab coat, writing in a manual. He looked at Dr. Ming. “A-Cheng, it worked.”

Dr. Ming’s face didn’t relax. He looked at the corpse of the Level 4 zombie beside Xiao Yu, his eyes dark. This guy has such a soft tone.

Xu Le didn’t notice. He grabbed the doctor’s arm excitedly. “After this, Xiao Yu will be the Zombie King.”

“Yes, Le-le. Our wish is coming true.” Facing Xu Le, Dr. Ming’s voice turned tender. “But before that, we need to prepare.”

“What preparations?”

“We need to plant a chip in him. If he shows any aggression toward us, we can dispose of him immediately.”

“This…”

“Le-le, he’s just a common zombie now. If he dies, we can make a stronger one.”

Xu Le’s deer-like eyes filled with tears. “We didn’t want this, but… Xiao Yu is a zombie now. We must have protections.”

“You’re right, Le-le.”

Xu Le bit his lip and made a decision. “Fine. A-Cheng, go prepare. I want to talk to him. After all, we were once…” He trailed off, looking at Xiao Yu with sorrowful eyes as tears fell.

“Don’t be sad for someone like him.” Dr. Ming looked at Xiao Yu’s blood-red eyes and smiled provocatively. In front of him, he shared a lingering kiss with Xu Le.

Xiao Yu snarled, veins popping as he tried to lunge at them, but the iron chain around his neck tightened with a clack, slamming him back against the wall.

As the doctor walked away, Xu Le wiped his tears and knelt before Xiao Yu. His gaze was obsessive, glued to the man’s exposed torso. Xiao Yu had been injected with the virus and forced to take the Level 4 core, evolving into something terrifying. Black markings—the sign of total zombification—spread across his chest.

Xu Le stroked the markings. “Now, you are entirely mine. Don’t worry, I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

Xu Le produced a bottle of nutrient solution from thin air. “You must be wondering why the system that accompanied you for so long suddenly vanished.” Xu Le laughed manically. “Because it’s in my hands now.”

“A-Yu,” Xu Le kissed his forehead. “Everything I did was just to make you more obedient.”

“I love you.”

I love you~

Behind a wall, Jiang Yi heard this sentimental confession and rubbed the goosebumps on his arms.

“What are they doing?” Jiang Yi leaned into Xie Cheng’s arms, brushing their cheeks together.

“Confessing. Can’t you hear?”

“Is that how you confess?”

Xie Cheng looked at him. “A confession is just saying ‘I love you,’ followed by a kiss or a hug. How else would you do it?”

*****

Xie Cheng said a lot, but Jiang Yi only heard the words “I love you.” His body temperature spiked. He started fanning himself with his hand, unable to look at Xie Cheng as a blush spread from his ears.

“What’s wrong with you now?” Xie Cheng frowned.

“I  just suddenly think being a zombie is quite nice,” Jiang Yi blurted out.

Xie Cheng: “?”

“If it were me, I’d be willing to be turned into a little plant by you,” Jiang Yi whispered bashfully.

Xie Cheng: “…”

Take him away. He’s a lost cause.

Xie Cheng stopped talking to the dummy and pulled 222 out from the system space. Mission progress?

222 was sleepy. Immortal New Lead, there is no progress.

Didn’t you just hear that?

Hear what?

The Protagonist confessed.

Uh..

Xie Cheng was dissatisfied with 222’s efficiency. Record the progress. Add the confession to the romance plot.

Uh. how do I record that?

Dimension ID, time, location. The Protagonist gave a soulful confession, and the Protagonist Gong accepted it. Write it down.

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