After Marking the Villain Professor (ABO, GL) - Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Hail was still falling outside, though it was much smaller than before, making it hard to see the situation clearly.

Qi Rui sent someone to check. Ten minutes later, the team member returned, visibly excited.

“Deputy Captain, the Captain’s back!”

“But a group of zombies has gathered around the villa, so he can’t get in yet.”

“Deputy Captain, let’s go get the Captain!”

Qi Rui stayed calm. “Hold on. Let’s observe a bit more. We need to ensure this place stays safe.”

Their primary mission was to protect Zhou Yutao. If going out to retrieve someone endangered the villa, even a teammate would have to be abandoned.

Every member of the escort team knew this and was prepared to make sacrifices.

Too many gunshots could attract more zombies, and Qi Rui didn’t dare take the risk.

The team member’s face fell, but he didn’t impulsively press to go rescue anyone.

Xu Man spoke up. “If you need help, Xu Yi and the others can assist.”

Qi Rui nodded. “Alright, Boss Xu, keep an eye on their training.”

He left with his team.

The remaining students looked uneasy.

With chaos outside, their days wouldn’t be peaceful either.

After a moment of silence, a student finally couldn’t hold back and suggested, “Boss Xu, how about we help too?”

“Yeah, we’re weak, but two of us can handle one zombie.”

Xu Man noticed the students’ attitudes toward her had changed.

Yesterday, they’d looked ready to kill her. Now, they treated her like their backbone.

It was strange.

Xu Man couldn’t help asking, “After what I did to Yutao, don’t you hate me?”

The students’ eyes flickered. “No hate. That’s between you and Professor Zhou. It’s none of our business.”

“Exactly. You saved us, Boss Xu. We’re grateful—how could we hate you?”

“Yeah, we’re counting on your supplies to survive.”

Was that really it? They’d seemed so principled before. What had changed so suddenly?

The students’ quick shift in attitude threw Xu Man off, but she soon had no time to dwell on it.

Zhou Yutao’s voice came from behind. “Have you finished today’s training? You’re not here to chat.”

As if someone hit pause, the students froze, then frantically started moving—not training, but flailing like a chaotic dance.

Their obvious panic showed Xu Man wasn’t the only one afraid of Zhou Yutao.

Taking a deep breath, Xu Man turned with a forced smile. “No, they’re just taking a break. Yutao, are you done with your work?”

Zhou Yutao didn’t press the issue. Instead, she asked, “Where’s Qi Rui?”

Xu Man briefly explained the situation outside.

“Zheng Rong’s back?” Zhou Yutao mused, her expression unreadable, neither happy nor displeased.

Xu Man cautiously asked, “I don’t know what you need Qi Rui for, Yutao, but if there’s anything I can help with, just say.”

Zhou Yutao chuckled softly. “Sure. I need a live zombie. Can you catch one for me, Boss Xu?”

Xu Man: “…”

She took back her offer.

“Sorry, I can’t do that,” she managed after a long pause, her face red from holding it in.

She couldn’t even face dead zombies, let alone live ones. Zhou Yutao had to be doing this on purpose, still angry about last night.

Zhou Yutao wasn’t disappointed. She handed Xu Man a tissue. “Wipe your sweat. Come walk with me.”

Compared to the previous request, this was much simpler.

Xu Man felt a strange relief that it was just a walk with Zhou Yutao.

Only after following her out of the villa did Xu Man realize she could’ve found an excuse not to go.

But she was already here, and it wouldn’t do to turn back now.

The situation outside was grim. Hail was falling, and a dozen zombies were quickly scaling the walls, rushing toward the courtyard.

If not dealt with promptly, they’d break into the villa.

Qi Rui was directing his team to clear the zombies that had entered the courtyard, using knives to decapitate them to avoid gunshots drawing more.

Seeing Zhou Yutao come out, Qi Rui’s expression shifted. “Professor Zhou, why are you out here? It’s dangerous—go back inside!”

Zhou Yutao shook her head. “I heard Captain Zheng’s back. I came to see.”

She and Xu Man stood in the pavilion in front of the villa, safe from the hail, but the wind blowing in was still cold.

Since the villa was warm, neither Zhou Yutao nor Xu Man was dressed heavily.

Xu Man shivered, and a thick down jacket was draped over her.

“Boss, you’re still sick. You need to bundle up,” Xu Si said.

“Professor Zhou, what’s wrong with you? Seeing our boss is cold, don’t you know to hold her and warm her up?”

Xu Man then noticed Xu Si was there, having just taken down two zombies. His training uniform was torn, and hail clung to him.

For now, the crisis was resolved; the zombies in the courtyard had been cleared, giving everyone a brief rest.

“Xu Si, weren’t you taken by Deputy Captain Qi?” Xu Man asked, shocked.

Xu Si froze, glancing at Zhou Yutao before saying, “They wouldn’t dare do anything to me. Don’t worry, Boss. I know Professor Zhou’s secret. You can have her serve you however you want.”

He’d come to help on his own, but judging by Madam Boss’s look, he was supposed to keep acting?

Xu Man: “…”

Shock didn’t begin to cover her feelings.

No wonder Qi Rui’s team hadn’t intervened last night, and Zhou Yutao had been so easily controlled by Xu Si. He knew her secret.

She’d worried for nothing, thinking Xu Si might end up on Zhou Yutao’s dissection table.

So, what was Zhou Yutao’s secret?

Xu Man’s mind raced, recalling the novel’s plot.

Wait, there was something.

During Zhou Yutao’s special time each month, her pheromones went out of control, and she lost much of her rationality, making her vulnerable to alphas.

That was why she was so desperate to develop an alpha-omega conversion drug—she didn’t want to be controlled by alphas and preferred to become one herself.

But was that really the secret?

It didn’t seem like Zhou Yutao, the future villain, would compromise so easily.

Could it be an omega’s fatal weakness?

It wasn’t impossible. Xu Man hadn’t thought much of it when reading the book, but experiencing it firsthand, she realized pheromones were beyond her control.

Take herself as an example: despite knowing Zhou Yutao, the villain, was dangerous, she couldn’t stop being drawn to her.

It had to be the pheromones.

“Exactly. Xu Si knows my secret, so I wouldn’t dare do anything to Boss Xu,” Zhou Yutao said.

“You’d better protect yourself well, or it’ll be my fault. Come here, let me warm you up.”

Lost in her thoughts, Xu Man was suddenly enveloped by Zhou Yutao’s warm body, and the cold vanished instantly.

A nameless heat rose from her heart.

Snapping back, Xu Man blushed and stepped aside, draping Xu Si’s down jacket over Zhou Yutao. “I’m not feeling unwell now. Yutao, you should protect yourself. Don’t worry, Xu Si won’t spill your secret. You don’t have to be threatened by him.”

Zhou Yutao’s gaze turned scrutinizing.

She believed her and Xu Si so quickly? Or did Xu Man actually know her secret? This alpha had plenty worth exploring.

No rush—there was plenty of time. That made it more interesting, didn’t it?

Zhou Yutao adjusted the jacket over her shoulders, watching a new wave of zombies climb the wall, and said calmly, “Deputy Captain Qi, take some people to get Zheng Rong.”

“Professor Zhou, more zombies are coming. If we leave, you’ll be in danger,” Qi Rui objected.

Zhou Yutao leaned closer to Xu Man. “Doesn’t Boss Xu always want me to serve her? She’ll protect me. I trust her.”

“Go. I don’t want anyone sacrificing themselves for me.”

Her words brought tears to the eyes of Qi Rui and his men. They wanted to say more, but Xu Si cut in. “What, Deputy Captain Qi, you don’t trust our boss? With her here, Professor Zhou will be fine.”

Xu Man inwardly cringed. “Deputy Captain Qi, go… go ahead.”

She didn’t even trust herself.

Severed zombie limbs still made her queasy.

But with Xu Yi and the others around, protecting Zhou Yutao shouldn’t be an issue. It depended on whether Qi Rui trusted them.

In the end, Qi Rui took his team to retrieve Zheng Rong.

“Yutao, it’s dangerous out here. Let’s go back inside,” Xu Man suggested.

Zhou Yutao shook her head. “Do you know why I brought you out here?”

Xu Man shook her head, clueless.

Zhou Yutao pointed to a severed hand hanging on the wall. “Boss Xu, if you’re timid, look at it more. The more you see, the braver you’ll get. That way, you can protect me, right?”

“After the zombies are cleared, please pick up those things for me.”

Xu Yi and the others, who’d just rushed over: “…”

Madam Boss’s way of toughening up the boss was brutally straightforward.

Even in the apocalypse, they wouldn’t push the boss like this.

The boss was still recovering from a cold—weren’t they pushing her too hard?

Seeing Xu Man’s pale face, even Xu Si, the “traitor,” felt a pang of sympathy. They were about to persuade Zhou Yutao to take it slow.

But then Xu Man nodded. “Okay, I’ll pick them up.”

It’s fine, she told herself. She’d handled a head last time; this time, it was just hands. Zhou Yutao not forcing her to catch a live zombie was already merciful.

She should be grateful.

Xu Man kept reassuring herself, forgetting she had other options.

“Manman, you’re great, but you need to try harder,” Zhou Yutao said, itching to ruffle Xu Man’s hair twice.

“I… I’ll do my best.”

The praise made Xu Man’s face less pale, even sparking a surge of courage, as if she could tear through countless zombies.

Suddenly, she felt Zhou Yutao, the future villain, was toxic—too good at swaying people. Since being around her, Xu Man’s heart hadn’t beaten normally once.

Don’t call her Manman in that gentle voice—she’d make a mistake, she really would.

Xu Man didn’t realize she looked like an alpha bewitched by her wife.

This attitude made Xu Si even more loyal to Zhou Yutao, and even Xu Yi and the others began to vaguely realize they should prioritize her.

A second wave of zombies scaled the wall into the courtyard, and Xu Yi and the others rushed to meet them…

When Zheng Rong left, he’d taken two teammates. He returned with two others—a young female alpha and a female omega.

Surrounded by about twenty zombies, Zheng Rong’s leg was injured, and he looked battered but still shielded the two behind him without retreating.

The female alpha helped fight, but the female omega was crying. “Brother Zheng, didn’t you say your brothers were in the villa? Why hasn’t anyone come for us?”

“Maybe they’ve already left.”

“With so many zombies now, what do we do? I don’t want to die. Brother Zheng, save me. If you do, I’ll do anything for you.”

Zheng Rong, unfazed, decapitated an approaching zombie. “I’ll save you, but if you want to leave, I won’t stop you.”

He believed his brothers were still here. They hadn’t found Professor Zhou yet, so they had their reasons for not coming out.

As two more zombies lunged, one nearly clawing Zheng Rong’s face, the female omega screamed, closing her eyes.

A gunshot rang out, and the zombie fell beside Zheng Rong. Qi Rui and his team had arrived.

“Captain, watch out!”

No time for sentiment, Zheng Rong worked with Qi Rui’s team to break through the zombie horde. Once back in the villa’s courtyard, he asked, “Didn’t I tell you to avoid firing unless necessary?”

“It was an emergency to save you, Captain,” Qi Rui replied, his face darkening. “That gunshot just now—wasn’t that you?”

Since the apocalypse began, Qi Rui had only fired a warning shot when he saw Xu Man’s convoy and now. One shot shouldn’t have drawn so many zombies.

He’d initially thought Zheng Rong, cornered, had fired. Now it seemed otherwise.

“It wasn’t me. I ran out of bullets at Di Du University, and the two brothers I took with me died,” Zheng Rong said, his face grim. “When I heard the gunshots, I thought it was you.”

Both realized there was another armed group in Starlight Community—friend or foe, they didn’t know.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Dealing with the zombies charging the villa was the priority.

After finally repelling the wall-climbing zombies, Zheng Rong noticed a young, attractive female alpha in the courtyard, quickly picking up severed limbs despite visible fear in her eyes.

“Who’s she?” Zheng Rong asked Qi Rui.

Qi Rui, unfazed, said, “Xu Man, supermarket owner, Professor Zhou’s person.”

“Professor Zhou?”

“Is Professor Zhou back?” Zheng Rong said, elated, scanning the courtyard but not seeing her, only the alpha picking up limbs.

Qi Rui: “Yeah, she came back with Boss Xu.”

The female omega who’d returned with Zheng Rong overheard and rushed to Xu Man, kneeling and clinging to her leg, crying, “Please, save me! Give me some food, and I’ll sleep with you!”

It happened so fast that Xu Man, focused on the limbs, didn’t react in time.

The limbs she’d picked up fell to the ground. “You… get up first. We can talk.”

It was her first time facing this, and it shook her worldview.

Was there really an omega willing to trade her body for food?

Xu Man could smell the woman’s orange fragrance. She’d liked oranges before, but this omega’s pheromone didn’t make her heart race.

In this world, alphas and omegas weren’t ranked, so no one’s pheromones were inherently more attractive.

Why, then, couldn’t she resist Zhou Yutao’s peach fragrance?

Xu Man’s thoughts wandered, forgetting to push the omega away.

Until a sharp voice rang out: “Sun Xiahe, what are you doing?”

Zheng Rong couldn’t fathom Sun Xiahe’s behavior.

In his memory, this neighbor girl was pure. She’d helped him at Di Du University, so he’d made an exception to bring her along.

Xu Man hurriedly pulled her leg free, quickly picking up the limbs and stepping back. “I can give you food. You don’t have to do this.”

For some reason, she feared Zhou Yutao seeing this.

She was tasked with picking up zombie limbs. Entangling with another omega would surely anger Zhou Yutao.

The last person Xu Man wanted to upset was Zhou Yutao.

But what she feared came true.

Sun Xiahe wouldn’t let it go, her voice loud. “No, I don’t believe it! I don’t believe anyone would give me food for nothing. I’m serious—just one piece of bread, and I’ll sleep with you. You’re a supermarket owner; you must have food, right?”

The commotion was so loud that Zhou Yutao, whom Xu Man had finally coaxed back into the villa, came to the door, arms crossed, coldly watching the farce.

“You said you’re sleeping with who?”

Her voice was calm, betraying no anger, but Xu Man’s back chilled—maybe from picking up limbs in the hail.

She wanted to faint like yesterday, but after taking the medicine, her body seemed to have recovered.