The Villainous Female Side Character Pretends to Be an Omega in the Apocalypse and Raises a Cat - Chapter 37

Meng Qinghe pressed further, “What’s her name?”

Chi Yingdong replied succinctly, “Ye Rourou.”

“Ah?” Meng Qinghe felt as if struck by lightning.

To establish the female lead Ye Rourou’s resilient and brave image, her character setting was that of an Omega without any special abilities.

Yet now, not only had Ye Rourou awakened as an ability user, but she might even have turned into an antagonist.

Thinking about how she had asked Chi Yingdong to take all the supplies from the pet store, leaving nothing for Ye Rourou…

Could it be that Ye Rourou’s abilities awakened precisely because she had no supplies?

OMG! Oh my goodness!

How could this have happened?

Meng Qinghe felt as if the knife she had thrown had turned into a boomerang and struck her back.

She whispered to Chi Yingdong, “What ability do you think she awakened? Control ability? Psychic ability?”

“Don’t rush. Let’s observe a bit more.”

Chi Yingdong lowered her eyelids, concealing the expression in her eyes.

If even the protagonist had undergone such a drastic change beyond the plot, was this world still normal?

Then, she raised her head, her gaze closely following Ye Rourou, observing her carefully.

In this lifetime, Ye Rourou’s attire was no different from the previous one, but now there was an added determination in her brows and eyes.

Chi Yingdong suddenly recalled when she first met Ye Rourou.

Back then, although Ye Rourou relied excessively on Qiao Ying, who had saved her, making everyone around them think Ye Rourou had feelings for Qiao Ying, Chi Yingdong could sense that Ye Rourou had no such thoughts.

Moreover, at that time, she didn’t dislike Ye Rourou; in fact, she was somewhat pleased by this girl’s appearance.

When did it change?

Chi Yingdong pondered carefully.

It seemed to be when she discovered that Ye Rourou wasn’t as kind as she appeared on the surface, and when she found herself uncontrollably bullying her…

A sharp, needle-like headache struck, and Chi Yingdong immediately raised her hand to press her temples.

It took a while before she recovered.

She suddenly wondered: when she was influenced by the plot, was Ye Rourou also being influenced by it?

Perhaps neither of their actions were of their own volition?

“Let’s return to the base first.”

Chi Yingdong made the decision.

Originally, they had only agreed to Chen Junyun to investigate who was behind the trouble, without promising to bring anyone back.

Meng Qinghe nodded, “Okay.”

After Ye Rourou finished gathering bamboo shoots and left, Meng Qinghe and the others waited a while longer, estimating that she was far enough away, before picking up the ice shield and returning to the base.

…

Not long after they returned to the base, their door was knocked.

Chi Yingdong knew Chen Junyun would have people watching them, so she immediately guessed who was outside.

She exchanged a glance with Meng Qinghe, who understood and went upstairs with the little black snake.

Chi Yingdong opened the door.

Chen Junyun outside looked somewhat anxious. Upon seeing Chi Yingdong, she immediately asked, “Did you find out anything?”

Chi Yingdong described what they had seen but instinctively withheld specific details about Ye Rourou.

Chen Junyun’s expression turned grim.

“Not a single mutated animal in the zoo? Then where are all those mutated animals hiding?”

Chi Yingdong didn’t follow Chen Junyun’s train of thought. Instead, she asked, “Chief Chen, I can sense that you are a leader with a strong sense of responsibility, so I’ll ask you directly: is there something in the base that attracts mutated animals?”

Chen Junyun fell silent for a long time, then looked past Chi Yingdong at Meng Qinghe, who had just come downstairs.

Chen Junyun: “Follow me.”

Led by Chen Junyun, they arrived at the laboratory within the base.

After a series of sterilization, disinfection, and changing into protective clothing, Chen Junyun used her fingerprint and iris for multi-layered authentication before entering the laboratory.

Chi Yingdong once again saw those familiar eyes, it was the woman who had acted strangely on the plane.

Now, she was wearing a white lab coat and a pair of silver-rimmed glasses. The wound on her forehead had scabbed over, and she no longer wore a band-aid.

Since Chi Yingdong was fully covered, the woman didn’t notice her and was methodically mixing the reagents in her hands.

Chi Yingdong’s gaze swept over the name tag on her chest.

Gao Yu.

Chi Yingdong silently repeated the name, committing it to memory.

Under Chen Junyun’s guidance, they proceeded to the innermost storage room of the laboratory.

After verification was complete, Chen Junyun retrieved a red velvet box from the safe.

She opened the box to reveal a pitch-black stone, upon closer inspection, it shimmered with a rainbow-like iridescence.

Chen Junyun explained, “Those animals are likely affected by this meteorite.” She suddenly asked, “Do you know why the base was built here?”

It was a rhetorical question, as she didn’t expect an answer. She continued, “In the entire city of Hu, only the residents living here have all awakened supernatural abilities.”

“Over 300 households!!”

She emphasized the number 300. “From 70-year-old elders to 3-year-old children, every one of them has awakened abilities.”

Chen Junyun closed her eyes, as if reminiscing about the past. “Because of this phenomenon, we chose this location when establishing the base.”

“Later, during the construction of the base, the workers discovered this stone. Through investigations, we learned that this meteorite fell during a meteor shower. Research revealed that the substance within this meteorite can alter the surrounding magnetic field, increasing the likelihood of people awakening supernatural abilities.”

Chen Junyun handed the meteorite to Chi Yingdong.

“I know you won’t stay at the base for long and plan to head north. I have a favor to ask, if you leave, please take this meteorite with you.”

Chen Junyun was well aware of the research value of this meteorite.

If they could uncover methods to awaken or enhance supernatural abilities from it, the Hu City Base could potentially become the strongest base.

But all of this depended on ensuring their safety. If their lives were constantly at risk, what use were supernatural abilities? The base could no longer withstand frequent attacks.

As Chi Yingdong took the stone, she immediately felt the intense energy fluctuations emanating from it.

“We won’t be leaving so soon. It’s better for you to keep the meteorite for now.”

After leaving the laboratory, Chi Yingdong asked Chen Junyun, “Where is Gao Yu from? I have a friend whose younger sister shares the same name. They lost contact after the apocalypse, and she asked me to keep an eye out for her.”

“Gao Yu?”

Chen Junyun wasn’t familiar with Gao Yu and turned to her assistant.

The assistant promptly replied, “Gao Yu is from Rong City.”

If it were anyone else, the assistant might not have remembered, but she had a clear impression of Gao Yu.

Mainly because this person’s experiences were too story-like.

“She majored in performing arts in college, and later by chance met Elder Zhang, who recognized her talent in the scientific field and guided her transition into research. When the apocalypse broke out, she happened to be on a business trip with Elder Zhang in Yang City. We picked her up from Yang City.”

Mentioning Rong City and a performing arts major immediately made Chi Yingdong and Meng Qinghe think of the person behind Jiang Yun.

However, after the apocalypse, transportation had completely collapsed. They had seen that mysterious woman in Rong City. If she had traveled from Rong City to Yang City and then boarded a rescue flight from Yang City, it wouldn’t have been an easy feat.

Could these two be the same person?

“It seems she’s not the person I’m looking for. My friend’s younger sister wasn’t a dance student.”

The conversation ended there.

Chi Yingdong declined Chen Junyun’s offer to escort them back.

On their way back, Meng Qinghe asked, “Could that Gao Yu be the person behind Jiang Yun?”

“I think so, but we still need to confirm it.”

They would be staying in the Shanghai base for a long time, so there was no rush.

Since the other party harbored ill intentions toward them, they would likely make a move sooner or later.

With that thought, they stopped dwelling on it.

On their way back, Meng Qinghe didn’t expect to run into Lin Qunjing again.

But today, her situation didn’t seem any better.

Meng Qinghe suddenly grabbed Chi Yingdong’s hand.

Chi Yingdong paused mid-step and looked down at their intertwined hands.

She turned her palm inward, enclosing Meng Qinghe’s hand in hers.

Then, she heard Meng Qinghe’s voice, “Isn’t that the girl who brought us into the base?”

Chi Yingdong followed the direction of Meng Qinghe’s other hand and saw Lin Qunjingbeing forcibly ejected from a house by two burly men, her personal belongings scattered all over the ground.

Chi Yingdong replied, “It’s her.”

The girl crouched helplessly on the ground, sobbing with her head buried in her arms.

Meng Qinghe hesitated about whether to step in and help.

In the apocalypse, being overly kind-hearted was a major taboo.

But since it was someone they knew, Meng Qinghe couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy.

Sensing Meng Qinghe’s hesitation, Chi Yingdong patted her shoulder and said, “Go ahead if you want to.”

Meng Qinghe glanced at Chi Yingdong, then at Lin Qunjing, and finally stepped forward to help the girl up.

As she picked up the scattered items from the ground, she asked, “What happened?”

Lin Qunjing met Meng Qinghe’s eyes, and the tears she had barely managed to hold back began to fall once again.

She didn’t cry aloud, but wept silently.

It was a stark contrast to the lively girl they had first met.

Meng Qinghe had no experience comforting others and felt momentarily at a loss.

“Don’t cry. Tell me what happened.”

After a long while, Lin Qunjing finally stopped crying and choked out, “I have no family left.”

That morning, mutated animals had suddenly attacked the base. Her family, as members of the base’s defense team, had been on the front lines and were among the first to fall.

Even though her family had sacrificed themselves for the base, no sooner had their remains been cremated than she was being forced out of the inner city.

Lin Qunjing couldn’t accept how things had turned out.

Though Meng Qinghe didn’t know how to comfort someone, she understood that this wasn’t the time to press for more details.

Lin Qunjing needed an outlet for her emotions.

Only after Lin Qunjing had vented and composed herself did Meng Qinghe ask, “Do you have anywhere to go?”

Lin Qunjing pressed her lips together tightly.

She had nowhere to go.

In the apocalypse, everyone was too preoccupied with their own survival to take in someone unrelated.

Lin Qunjing met Meng Qinghe’s concerned gaze, and her thoughts paused.

Perhaps if she said she had nowhere to go, this woman in front of her might take pity and offer her shelter.

However, as her gaze shifted, she met Chi Yingdong’s icy eyes.

Those eyes seemed capable of piercing through the deepest desires and greed in others’ hearts.

Chi Yingdong could tolerate Meng Qinghe’s occasional kindness, after all, what the other had experienced so far was only a fragment of the apocalypse, and she still retained a touch of innocence.

She was more than willing to protect that innocence in Meng Qinghe, as long as the people Meng Qinghe helped were “sensible.”

Lin Qunjing withdrew her gaze, shaking off the thoughts in her mind.

She didn’t want to be a burden to anyone anymore, nor did she want to rely on anyone again.

Lin Qunjing stood up. “I have a place to stay. Thank you for your trouble.”

Watching Lin Qunjing’s receding figure, Meng Qinghe wondered whether it was better to never have felt familial love at all or to have experienced it only to lose it halfway.

The sun climbed higher, and the scorching heat left her no time to dwell on such melancholic thoughts.

After a morning of running around, they were all tired and needed to go back to catch up on sleep.