The Cannon Fodder Male Supporting Character Is the Zombie King - Chapter 2

Zhou Huaichen snapped back to his senses and pretended as though he hadn’t heard anything. “President Ye.”
Ye Wei’an said, “Oh, then go ahead and take them with you.” He paused briefly, then added, “But remember. Your Zhou family owes me a favor.”
Before Zhou Huaichen could respond, Zhou Yongnan immediately burst out, “You’re the one who kidnapped Qing Qing! I came here to save him! You pervert. How dare you demand a favor from the Zhou family!”
Ye Wei’an’s expression remained blank. “Looks like you don’t want to leave after all.”
Zhou Yongnan froze.
Ye Wei’an continued calmly, “Do you like me? Can’t bear to part with me?”
Zhou Yongnan: “……”
Ye Wei’an: “Then stay.”
Zhou Yongnan: “……”
He was about to explode from rage.
Zhou Huaichen looked at Ye Wei’an thoughtfully.
He hadn’t expected that the supposedly gloomy and irritable President Ye could be so sharp-tongued when mocking someone.
Interesting.
Zhou Huaichen cast a cool glance at Zhou Yongnan, silently warning him to stop acting up. Then, turning back to Ye Wei’an, the corners of his lips curved slightly. “Very well. Let’s end it here.”
Zhou Yongnan was still unwilling to accept it.
Why should the Zhou family owe that pervert Ye Wei’an a favor?!
Ye Wei’an, however, didn’t even bother acknowledging Zhou Yongnan’s provocation.
In his eyes, the only somewhat normal person in this world was Zhou Huaichen. At least he hadn’t been dumbed down by the author. After all, Zhou Huaichen was the only man who hadn’t fallen for the “allure” of Yan Qing, the so-called universal heartthrob.
Zhou Huaichen prepared to leave with Zhou Yongnan and Yan Qing.
Before going, Zhou Yongnan bared his teeth at Ye Wei’an, looking as though he’d love nothing more than to beat him up before walking out.
Yan Qing, too, felt uneasy.
He didn’t want to completely fall out with Ye Wei’an. He still needed Ye Wei’an to fund and promote him. Zhou Yongnan might be easy to manipulate, but he had no real power. Compared to Ye Wei’an, he was worthless.
Yan Qing bit his lip and called out softly, his eyes full of pleading, “President Ye…”
Ye Wei’an clicked his tongue inwardly. What an eyesore.
“Still not leaving?” he said impatiently, expression cold. “Don’t bother me again.”
The system, which had just fought its way back through a Trojan horse after being muted, arrived just in time to hear him reject Yan Qing. It buzzed furiously: 【Host! Your mission is to win over Yan Qing! If you don’t even see him, how can you complete your mission?!】
Ye Wei’an: 【I’ll switch targets.】
He turned his gaze toward Zhou Huaichen, his mind filled with visions of that dazzling, amethyst-like crystal core.
Ah, how delicious Zhou Huaichen looked.
He wanted to eat him.
System: 【No! Have you forgotten what I told you? Because the readers’ resentment was too strong, you were sent into the book to change its ending. Your mission is to win over Yan Qing and end up with him. You cannot target anyone else!】
Ye Weian: “I don’t like Yan Qing.”
If it were Zhou Huaichen, though, he’d be willing.
System: 【You have to win him over, whether you like him or not. Otherwise, you’ll never see your parents and younger brother again.】
Ye Wei’an: “.”
He turned to Yan Qing and said flatly, “I’ll contact you later.”
Seeing that President Ye was still willing to speak to him, Yan Qing finally relaxed. His eyes shimmered pitifully as he blinked. “Then please don’t forget.”
Ye Wei’an ignored him, his gaze drifting back toward Zhou Huaichen.
—【Heaven and earth as my witness, the only one I’m interested in is Zhou Huaichen.】
Zhou Huaichen curved his lips into a faint smile and looked right at him.
Ye Wei’an: “.”
Keeping his face expressionless, he instructed the old butler to see the guests out.
Zhou Huaichen took a few steps, then suddenly turned back and said meaningfully, “Mr. Ye’s inner world seems quite… rich.”
Ye Wei’an: “.”
*
After finally sending everyone off, Ye Wei’an returned to his room, ready to continue playing with his gemstones.
The original’s safe held several rubies and sapphires worth a fortune. Though they couldn’t compare to how delectable Zhou Huaichen looked, they were still barely enough to satisfy his craving.
System: 【Host, a new task has arrived. You need to meet with Yan Qing tomorrow to develop your relationship. He’s currently filming on set. It looks like you’ll have to visit him there.】
As Ye Wei’an walked upstairs, his expression remained blank. “Not going.”
System: 【Think about your parents and younger brother.】
Ye Wei’an’s steps faltered slightly.
His parents and younger brother had died before the apocalypse. When the system found him, it promised that if he completed the mission, it would help him bring them back and send the whole family to a world without apocalypse, where they could live peacefully.
The offer was tempting.
He had lived alone in the apocalypse for ten years. Given a chance to save his family, how could he refuse?
But now that he’d met Yan Qing, he realized the task wasn’t going to be easy.
Love wasn’t something that could be faked.
He wasn’t an actor. How could he possibly pretend to like Yan Qing without leaving any trace?
But with Zhou Huaichen, that was different. Zhou Huaichen truly resembled his favorite kind of purple crystal core.
“Got it,” he replied blandly.
The system sounded relieved: 【Good. I’m glad you’ve come to your senses, host.】
If the host continued trying to turn this into a three-way mess, it might as well just format itself and die.
System: 【According to the plot, Zhou Yongnan will soon move against you. Please prepare a countermeasure in advance.】
In the novel, after the kidnapping incident, Zhou Yongnan sought help from his family to go after the original host while also convincing Yan Qing to join him in framing him.
A few days later, Yan Qing publicly accused the original host of attempting to rape him. Yan Qing was a top-tier celebrity with a massive fanbase. Overnight, the entire internet turned on the original host, condemning him.
The Ye family’s stocks plummeted. The original host, pushed to his breaking point, went insane and started retaliating against Zhou Yongnan and Yan Qing without restraint, nearly driving the two of them to their deaths.
At the critical moment, it was Zhou Huaichen who stepped in to save Zhou Yongnan.
After that, the Ye family inexplicably went bankrupt. The original host inexplicably jumped off a building and died.
Then the readers lost their minds. Furious, they flooded the author with bad reviews.
Ye Wei’an: 【.】
…What can he say? The book was written with zero logic. The author’s brain was made of stone. And Zhou Huaichen? He was the hidden final boss.
In short, the Ye family’s downfall was spectacular, and the original host’s death was equally dramatic.
The readers’ bad reviews were just as fierce and overwhelming!
System: 【Host, since you’ve entered this world, the plot has already changed. But you still need to be cautious of Zhou Yongnan making a move.】
Ye Wei’an: “Got it.”
After a brief pause, he took out his phone and called the special assistant at his company, instructing them to withdraw all investment from Yan Qing’s new drama.
System: 【】
Ye Wei’an said calmly, “Everything Yan Qing has comes from the original host. Only when he loses it all will he realize how precious the original host was.” He paused, then added, “Tomorrow I’ll visit the set. He’ll definitely beg me in tears.”
System: 【……】
Host, where did you get that confidence from?
Ye Wei’an mused, “What do you think about going for the tragic love route? Maybe Yan Qing’s just the type who likes to suffer. The worse I treat him, the more he’ll love me.”
System: 【……】
For a long while, it stayed completely silent. Perhaps its circuits were shorting out from shock.
Only after Ye Wei’an returned to his study, taking out his gems to play with, did the system finally sigh faintly: 【……Host, you’re really awful.】
Ye Wei’an: “.”
He ignored it, rolling the ruby between his fingers. As he thought of that man who resembled a purple crystal core, a faint sense of regret surfaced. He should’ve kept him here.
Still, even without a purple crystal core, rubies and sapphires were enough to satisfy him for now.
The system, sensing his indifference, couldn’t help but remind him: 【Host, you can’t keep that blank face all the time. You need to learn how to act like the original Ye Wei’an, or you’ll expose yourself.】
There was a big difference between being gloomy and being expressionless.
Right now, the host looked exactly like a wooden puppet.
Ye Wei’an: 【Oh.】
He had absolutely no intention of learning.
System: 【……】
Forget it. As long as the host was willing to carry out the mission. If he wanted to be expressionless, let him be expressionless. If he wanted to act like a block of wood, so be it.
*
As soon as Zhou Yongnan left the Ye family estate, he started complaining nonstop to Zhou Huaichen. “Uncle, Ye Wei’an is too domineering! Not only did he kidnap Yan Qing, but he even tried to lay his hands on me! Uncle, you have to teach him a lesson!”
“Lay his hands on you?” Zhou Huaichen thought of Ye Wei’an’s inner thoughts and chuckled softly.
Zhou Yongnan: “……”
Uncle, is this really the time to laugh?
“I’m serious! Ye Wei’an’s a beast!” Zhou Yongnan fumed, nearly trembling with anger.
Zhou Huaichen gave him a faint glance. “Enough. I already said this matter ends here.”
Zhou Yongnan was about to speak again.
Zhou Huaichen’s expression was slightly cold. “From what I know, it was your boyfriend who took the initiative to provoke President Ye.”
Zhou Yongnan fell silent.
He knew that Yan Qing had many admirers. He also knew that Ye Wei’an had done a lot for Yan Qing. Because of that, he’d felt jealous more than once. But since Yan Qing had said there was nothing ambiguous between him and Ye Wei’an, Zhou Yongnan chose to believe him…
Yan Qing pouted, looking at Zhou Huaichen with grievance in his eyes. “President Zhou, I didn’t…”
Zhou Huaichen ignored him, his gaze shifting to Zhou Yongnan. “Take your boyfriend home. I’m heading to the company.”
With that, he got straight into the car.
Zhou Yongnan stood there, watching the car drive away, a trace of unwillingness still in his eyes.
Unfortunately, he had feared Zhou Huaichen’s authority since childhood. He didn’t dare provoke the uncle who held the family’s power. He could only purse his lips and mutter, “Hmph. I’ll go ask Grandpa for help when I get back!”
Yan Qing, too, watched as Zhou Huaichen left, his eyes filled with yearning and infatuation.
Zhou Yongnan took his hand. “Let’s go, too.”
He didn’t notice the look in Yan Qing’s eyes. He only wanted to leave this unlucky Ye household as soon as possible.
Yan Qing obediently let him lead him into the car, murmuring, “Your uncle’s presence is really overwhelming.”
Zhou Yongnan: “Of course. Even I’m a little afraid of him.”
Yan Qing: “He seems really impressive.”
Zhou Yongnan nodded. “My uncle is definitely impressive. Ye Wei’an isn’t even worth one of his fingers!”
In truth, while Zhou Huaichen was indeed one of the most outstanding figures among the younger generation of those in power, Ye Wei’an was no less capable. Zhou Yongnan was only deliberately belittling his rival in love.
Yan Qing lowered his gaze thoughtfully.
No man had ever been able to resist his charm before. But just now, President Zhou hadn’t even spared him a single glance.
A faint discomfort welled up inside him, but it also stirred his fighting spirit.
*
The next afternoon, under the system’s urging, Ye Wei’an went to the film set.
This was the fifth project the original host had invested in for Yan Qing, a literary film aimed at winning him an award. The director hired was Bai Yuan, a rising star who had been in the limelight for the past few years. Bai Yuan’s previous film had won an international gold award. Its leading actor had even taken home the most prestigious Best Actor trophy.
From this, it was clear just how devoted the original host had been to Yan Qing. He had even mapped out Yan Qing’s entire career path.
However, yesterday, Ye Wei’an had instructed the company to withdraw its investment, so the film was now unlikely to continue production.
Yan Qing only found out about the withdrawal when he arrived on set. Everyone around was pointing fingers and whispering about him, speculating whether President Ye had dumped him.
The manager dragged him into the lounge and asked straight out, “Did you offend President Ye?”
Yan Qing’s face turned pale. He stayed silent.
The manager urged, “You’d better hurry up and apologize! This is an investment worth billions! Out of all your admirers, President Ye is the most generous. If you miss out on him, where else are you going to find such a rich fool?”
Yan Qing hesitated. “…I’ll give President Ye a call.”
Ye Wei’an’s car had just entered the film studio grounds when he received a call from Yan Qing.
The delicate little white flower on the other end spoke in a soft, timid voice: “President Ye, are you angry with me?”
Ye Wei’an replied, “I’m almost at the set. We’ll talk in person.”
With that, he hung up.
The system spoke up: 【Host, don’t be so cold. Please remember, Yan Qing is your capture target, not one of those zombies in the apocalypse who tried to eat your crystal core but got killed by you instead.】
Ye Wei’an: “…”
When the car stopped outside the set, Ye Wei’an got out, but suddenly paused and asked the system, “Tell me. If I were to dig out Yan Qing’s heart, then dig out this body’s heart, and bury the two together, would that count as completing the mission? Or, if I mash the two hearts up and mix them, would that count as another kind of ‘life-and-death bond’ and ‘hearts beating as one’?”
System: 【】
Your idea of “life and death together” is digging out someone’s heart?
And your idea of “hearts connected as one” is smashing two hearts together and mixing them into a paste?
How can you say something that bloody and terrifying with such a calm face?!
The system roared: 【Host! Even if this novel’s logic is questionable, please remember that this is a law-abiding society!!!】
Ye Wei’an: “Oh.”
Having been the Zombie King in the apocalypse for ten years, he had honestly forgotten the rules of the normal world.
After crackling and sputtering for a long while, the system finally calmed down and pleaded: 【Host, please—fewer deranged ideas, more normal thoughts. Do your mission according to proper rules.】
Ye Wei’an: “……”

Author’s Note:
My dear readers, the system is a good one, okay~ It’ll all be explained later~=3=
Thank you all so much for your support! I’ll keep working hard!