Chapter 140: Your Doom Has Been Delivered (23)

"...What is it?"

Ling Qiong: "I can tell you, but you have to do something for me."

Mu Chen: "..."

Mu Chen: "How do I know if what you're saying is what I want to know?"

Ling Qiong: "It's about Feng Ying. Don't you want to know?"

This name acted like a switch.

Mu Chen's expression darkened instantly, and the aura around him changed completely.

Feng Ying—though the female protagonist had been dead for some time now, to Mu Chen, she remained an unhealable scar.

Normally, whenever anyone brought up Feng Ying, Mu Chen would be trapped in a heavy, gloomy mood all day long.

Therefore, no one around him dared to mention her.

Mu Chen: "What do you want to say?"

Ling Qiong: "I'll tell you, but you have to do this for me."

Mu Chen glanced at her, "What are you trying to do?"

Ling Qiong: "Help me find a place called the Third Research Institute."

Mu Chen's gaze turned sharp, "Why are you looking for that place?"

Ling Qiong raised an eyebrow, "Sounds like you know where it is?"

Mu Chen certainly knew about that place, because one of their objectives in coming to City H was precisely that location.

However...

Mu Chen: "What do you know about Feng Ying?"

Ling Qiong: "You have to promise me first. If you don't promise, how can I tell you?"

Mu Chen: "As long as what you say isn't nonsense, I can agree to take you there."

Ling Qiong's eyes curved into crescents as she made a fist and extended it, "Deal."

Mu Chen: "..."

Mu Chen raised his hand and bumped fists with her, "Speak."

"Feng Ying's death was no accident."

Without any preamble, she dropped this statement directly.

The car fell silent instantly.

Mu Chen's expression flickered through a myriad of changes—first shock, then disbelief. After a long moment, he spoke with great difficulty: "What... did you say?"

Feng Ying's death was not an accident?

Then what was it?

Was it homicide?

Ling Qiong repeated herself obediently, slowing down her pace, "I said, Feng Ying's death was no accident."

Mu Chen's hand resting on his knee tightened into a fist, "What do you know? How did Feng Ying die?"

Feng Ying's death had not been grand or earth-shattering at all, considering the author merely wanted to dispose of the female lead quickly so he could rush the ending.

Therefore, Lin Miaoru's petty little tricks sounded like a complete joke to Mu Chen.

How could something like that possibly have killed Feng Ying?

Mu Chen scrutinized Ling Qiong for a moment, "Aren't you and Xiao Miao friends?"

She appeared here all by herself...

And now she was claiming that Xiao Miao had killed Feng Ying.

Was she trying to sow discord, or was she...

"I witnessed her act. She wanted to silence me. Do you think I could still be friends with her after that?"

Mu Chen: "How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Ling Qiong spread her hands, "Use your brain and think about it. For a period after Feng Ying died, what was Lin Miaoru's demeanor like? Didn't she give herself away?"

After committing that deed, Lin Miaoru had been restless and anxious every single day.

Seeing Mu Chen made her even more panicked, to the point where she didn't even dare to draw near him.

Mu Chen had been in a chaotic state during that period.

Yet it was true that Lin Miaoru hadn't shown up much.

"Why would Xiao Miao... harm Feng Ying?" Deep down, Mu Chen found it hard to believe.

He and Lin Miaoru had grown up together.

Although Lin Miaoru was a bit willful and spoiled.

Still, murder...

Mu Chen felt she wouldn't dare do such a thing.

"Lin Miaoru likes you, and you like Feng Ying. You tell me why she harmed Feng Ying?"

Ling Qiong smiled, her voice soft, "A girl's jealousy is a terrifying thing."

Of course, the main reason was simply that the author wanted the female lead dead.

Otherwise, only supporting female characters like Lin Miaoru would be written off.

Mu Chen furrowed his brow into deep wrinkles, "You're saying Lin Miaoru likes me?"

Ling Qiong let out a "wow" sound, "You mean you didn't know?"

Mu Chen said, looking quite bewildered, "I've always treated her like a younger sister..."

Lin Miaoru was simply not his type.

Therefore, whenever his family asked him to take care of Lin Miaoru, he just looked after her like a little sister, never entertaining any other thoughts.

Lin Miaoru had loved sticking close to him since they were kids.

Yet she had never uttered words like liking him, and before the apocalypse, she even had a boyfriend...

How could she possibly have feelings for him?

Mu Chen's mind felt somewhat chaotic as he looked at Ling Qiong, "Can you guarantee everything you've said is true?"

"I swear, everything I'm saying is true! If I'm lying, may I be struck by lightning!" Ling Qiong raised two fingers and swore upward.

Ling Qiong continued, "You can also ask the people around you about Lin Miaoru's behavior during that time. Even if you didn't notice that something was off with her, surely they couldn't have missed it."

With that, she bestowed upon Mu Chen a well-behaved, gentle, polite, and candid smile.

Mu Chen: "..."

...

Mu Chen's companions had been traveling alongside him all along, which meant he could ask them right on the spot.

One of the slightly longer-haired youths recalled, "Xiao Miao was indeed a bit distracted during that time. Once, when I called out to her, she jumped in fright, and her face was as pale as a sheet."

It was just that Mu Chen hadn't noticed.

In reality, all of them had felt that something was amiss with Lin Miaoru.

However, back then, they simply assumed Lin Miaoru had been frightened, especially since she had been with Feng Ying when the 'accident' occurred.

Another youth recalled something else, "One night when I was on watch, Xiao Miao seemed to be having a nightmare. I heard her muttering things like she didn't mean to do it."

At the time, they just thought she was having a bad dream.

Now, looking back in light of this revelation... it didn't seem quite that simple anymore.

Lin Miaoru had been shielded by Mu Chen all the way; that was the first time she had taken someone's life with her own hands, having never even fought a zombie before.

It would have been a miracle if she hadn't been terrified.

Though the supporting female character was growing up fast now and probably wasn't afraid anymore.

Mu Chen fell silent and spoke no further.

The other two companions didn't dare to pipe up either.

The atmosphere inside the carriage inevitably grew somewhat oppressive.

An Changjing had only caught fragments of the conversation and exchanged a meaningful glance with Jiang Xunchu, silently asking him what was going on.

Jiang Xunchu gave a slight shake of his head.

He had crossed paths with Ling Qiong later on and knew nothing of these matters.

Yet he roughly grasped the gist of it.

Ling Qiong retreated, resting against the curve of Jiang Xunchu's neck, and mumbled softly, "Hot."

Jiang Xunchu: "..."

If you're hot, why do you insist on sitting on my lap?

Jiang Xunchu fished out a folding fan from the front and began to fan her.

Ling Qiong felt around for a bottle of water, cradled it in both hands, took a couple of gulps, and then extended it toward Jiang Xunchu's lips.

"I'm not thirsty."

"You are thirsty."

"..." Jiang Xunchu tried to reach for an unopened one instead, "There's still this..."

Ling Qiong grabbed both bottles of water and tossed them straight into the back, "Treating you guys."

Mu Chen was out of it, but one of the youths fumbled and caught them, "Thanks..."

"You're welcome."

Ling Qiong turned back, looking innocently at Jiang Xunchu, "There are none left now."

Jiang Xunchu: "..."

Jiang Xunchu glanced at the bottle opening, took a deep breath, accepted it from her hand, and took a sip.

Whether it was psychological suggestion or not, the water that usually tasted completely neutral suddenly carried a faint hint of sweetness.

Jiang Xunchu took a single sip and handed it back to her, keeping his gaze straight ahead, "Drink it yourself."

Ling Qiong cradled the bottle, uttered an "oh," and then took tiny, delicate sips.

Jiang Xunchu increased the fanning speed just a fraction.

Ling Qiong leaned in closer, dropping her voice to a whisper, "Older brother, are you uncomfortable?"

Jiang Xunchu: "..."

He wanted to get out of this car!!