The Beautiful Top Being Pursued Relentlessly [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 9

“And this is the ‘perfect chemistry’ you were talking about?”

Xie Cheng stood on higher ground, watching the scene with clarity.

The ragtag group of teammates below, with their mismatched styles, was clearly handpicked by Jiang Yi. Their temperaments were so similar that they seemed to have surpassed their mentor in the art of being eccentric.

Old Qian and the others were heading in the exact opposite direction. However, since the Earth is round, Xie Cheng figured they would run into each other eventually.

Xie Cheng thought this calmly, though his hydrangea “head” still looked like a wilted piece of cabbage.

Jiang Yi’s gaze drifted upward cautiously. He held out his hand, palm flat. “Xie Cheng, do you want to come down?”

“No need. The air is clearer up here; it helps me think,” Xie Cheng refused.

Jiang Yi let out a soft “oh.”

The Immortal’s voice was faint, as if it might scatter with the next gust of wind. He was very weak right now; he needed protection. To Jiang Yi, the first step in caring for a fragile Immortal was to fulfill his every whim.

He fished the flowerpot out of his backpack and held it level with his forehead. “Then do you want to sit in the pot? You’ll be even higher up that way.”

“No.” Xie Cheng exhaled. His rounded petals drifted upward and slowly settled back down.

The exhaustion of his recovery period was heavy. Xie Cheng felt as though his brain was rusted and sluggish, clicking like an old machine. He couldn’t muster any emotional energy for Jiang Yi’s antics.

No anger, no joy, no desire—he felt as though he had been smoothed over by a cool spring, leaving not a single wrinkle of emotion.

Xie Cheng watched with total indifference as a disappointed Jiang Yi stuffed the flowerpot back into his bag. His only five remaining leaves tilted to the left. “Follow them,” he ordered.

“Right!” Jiang Yi regained his spark instantly. With one hand protecting the hydrangea on his head and the other lugging the heavy backpack, he charged down the hill.

His fluffy hair bounced up, brushing repeatedly against Xie Cheng’s “face.”

It tickled. Xie Cheng let out a tiny sneeze.

He couldn’t understand it. How could someone remain as happy as a total blockhead every single day?

That confusion didn’t clear up even after they reunited with Jiang Yi’s squad. In fact, it only deepened when Xie Cheng caught them holding hands and dancing around a campfire.

Was he. still dreaming?

****

When Xie Cheng woke up, he found himself lying in a cramped back seat. The pungent smell of gasoline filled the cabin. His limbs were forced into a curled position; there was nowhere to stretch.

Limbs.

As the “rust” finally cleared from his mind, Xie Cheng realized something. He sat up, finding himself back in his familiar human form.

Two full days later, he had finally recovered.

The dizziness was gone. Every part of his body felt infused with new strength. If he weren’t trapped in a car, he felt he could probably rip a zombie’s head off with his bare hands right now.

He was in a car—Jiang Yi’s car.

It was easy to tell. There was something hard poking into his waist; he reached down and pulled out that bright yellow flowerpot, now filled with dark soil.

Speechless, Xie Cheng shoved the pot aside.

He could guess what Jiang Yi was thinking—the man probably intended for the pot to serve as a bed. Well, for the sake of his good intentions, Xie Cheng decided not to make a scene about it.

Moonlight filtered through the window, landing on Xie Cheng’s flawless cheek and casting a silver glow over his striking features. His face was exceptionally well-structured: long brows, deep-set eyes with slightly upturned corners that added a touch of sharpness, and a bridge of the nose so high and straight that it created a perfect silhouette.

In the soft moonlight, his sharp edges were blurred by a misty glow. Even in this grimy environment, he looked inevitably sacred.

Xie Cheng was unaware of this; he rarely cared for his own appearance. His attention was fixed on the car window.

A blurry black shadow suddenly leaned in close, pressing right against the glass.

A face.

Jiang Yi’s face, flattened against the window.

Those dark coffee-colored eyes—Xie Cheng’s favorite part of him—were staring inside, shimmering with light.

Jiang Yi’s mouth moved, but he didn’t make a sound. Xie Cheng had no idea what he was trying to say.

“Unlock the door.” Xie Cheng hooked his finger around the handle and nudged it.

The dazed Jiang Yi finally reacted, fumbling for a key to open the door.

Before he even leaned in, his chattering voice preceded him: “Xie Cheng! You’re finally awake! I just roasted some Napa cabbage. Do you want some?”

Xie Cheng stepped out of the car and took a deep breath.

A large campfire blazed nearby, lighting up the area. Several people of varying heights were circling the fire, jumping and clapping in a primitive display of entertainment.

Looking at Jiang Yi again, he had changed into clean clothes and had a multicolored garland draped around his neck. His bangs, which usually hung neatly, were now swept up, giving him a wild, uninhibited look.

Belatedly, Xie Cheng realized that the memory of them dancing wasn’t a dream after all.

When several simple-minded people got together, it didn’t look like an apocalyptic escape it looked like a cross-country road trip.

“With all this noise, aren’t you afraid of attracting zombies?” Xie Cheng stood in the cold wind, having no interest in roasted cabbage.

“Nope.” Jiang Yi stepped forward and tucked his arm through Xie Cheng’s, pulling him toward the fire. “We have a kid in the squad who’s a Mental-type. He can sense any zombies nearby.”

Jiang Yi led him to the fire and called out, “Come over here!”

Old Qian and the others immediately surrounded them, shouting in unison, “Greetings, Captain!”

“This is Old Qian—Qian Dayong. Level 2 Gold-type. He can build metal walls to keep zombies out.” Jiang Yi patted Old Qian’s back, swiped the sunglasses off the man’s face, and introduced him to Xie Cheng.

“This is Jiang Shui. Don’t let his unreliable looks fool you; he’s a rare Healing-type. Though healing powers are hard to level up he’s only Level 1 right now.”

“This is Tang Ling. Level 2 Water-type. She’s deadly with a butterfly knife and a pro at close-quarters combat.”

“And this is the baby of our team, Xiao Yu—Yu Yuyu. Like I told you, he’s the Mental-type. Level 1, but that’s plenty for sensing low-level zombies.”

Seeing their Captain lay everything out so openly, the four teammates stared intensely at the stranger. He was a man of unknown origin and mysterious background—highly suspicious.

Xie Cheng gave them a cool glance. “Xie Cheng.”

Jiang Yi placed a hand on Xie Cheng’s shoulder and beamed. “That’s right! This is Xie Cheng. He’s…”

“Plant-type. Level 3.”

At this stage, Level 3 was the highest an ability user could reach, making them highly sought after by every base. Xie Cheng estimated the power Jiang Yi had displayed and chose that number.

Jiang Yi blinked, helping to cover for him. “Right, Level 3 Plant-type… Xie Cheng is a person.”

The squad: “?” Xie Cheng:

In the brief silence, a blush crept up Jiang Yi’s cheeks. He instinctively looked down, trying to smooth his bangs to hide his reddening face.

He toyed with the hem of his shirt, his voice filled with shyness. “From now on… we’re following Xie Cheng.”

Silence.

Absolute, crushing silence.

The fire was hot, but the only one feeling the “passion” was Jiang Yi. He clung to Xie Cheng like a doting young wife leaning on her husband, his eyes full of nothing but his beloved.

After a long moment, Old Qian—the master of breaking the ice started clapping and laughing awkwardly. “Welcome, welcome! A very. warm welcome.”

Welcome to the Captain’s marriage into the family.

Under everyone’s gaze, Jiang Yi covered his face and tilted his head, resting it on Xie Cheng’s shoulder.

Xie Cheng extended a single finger and tried to nudge the head away. It didn’t budge. Once this “puppy” got a hold of something, he never let go.

Xie Cheng calmly changed the subject. “Have you encountered any high-level zombies recently?”

The teammates froze. Their minds hadn’t quite transitioned from “Captain is marrying us into a new family” to “High-level zombies.”

The only “normal” person, Jiang Yi, answered seriously: “We’ve only encountered one Level 2.”

“So you have seen them.” Xie Cheng grabbed Jiang Yi by the hair and forced his head upright. “I thought your ignorance was what made you so relaxed.”

Even after the scolding, Jiang Yi stayed glued to him. However, upon hearing Xie Cheng’s words, a chill ran down his spine. A fireball began to condense in his palm. “Xie Cheng, are you saying?”

“Shh—”

Xie Cheng pressed a finger to his own lips. Strands of hair drifted across his face. When he looked down at Jiang Yi, his silver-gray eyes were filled with a biting coldness.

It felt like falling into an ice cellar. Jiang Yi couldn’t move. The chill on his back crept silently toward his heart. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

“Don’t move.”

Xie Cheng suddenly leaned down, his left hand pressing naturally against Jiang Yi’s back as if finding a point of support.

His palm wasn’t cold; it was warm against a sensitive spot on Jiang Yi’s back, making him shiver.

Jiang Yi heard the crisp click of a gun being cocked. Before he could react, the recoil of a shot fired passed through Xie Cheng and pressed into his back.

He realized then Xie Cheng hadn’t been glaring at him. He had been watching a zombie that was creeping up for a sneak attack.

Xie Cheng wasn’t being mean after all.

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