The protagonist who hates losers is so sweet to me. - Chapter 49

In the end, Yu Qing’s team consisted of only himself, plus Yu Xiaoxue and Yu Xiaobai, two small animals.

The boats used for transport had evolved from wooden to iron, with canopies overhead to prevent swaying.
He turned around in his seat, resting his feet on the edge, his hands clasped and resting on the railing, gazing at Song Xinqi.

After finishing communication with the previous team, Song Xinqi, looking serious, sat down next to him. “Why do you accept any task?”

“To earn points. This task offers high points, and since it’s available, I might as well take it,” Yu Qing said, swinging his legs.

Song Xinqi glanced at his legs. “Sit properly.”

Yu Qing had to adjust his position, sitting upright like Song Xinqi. Yu Xiaoxue walked around the boat and then jumped onto Yu Qing’s seat, lying down beside him.

The sound of the waves came from all directions, and the salty, moist sea breeze seemed to mix with Song Xinqi’s deep, heavy words.

He said, “Do you have any idea how dangerous it is out there? Zombies evolve so quickly, and Level 3 ability users have died outside. You don’t even lack supplies. Why bother?”

With the new safety zone under initial construction, Yu Qing’s living conditions were even better than those at Zone X. Wei Zheng sent him supplies weekly, and he had accumulated plenty of unused items.

He cradled the snow leopard, resting his chin on Yu Xiaoxue’s head, and spoke in a muffled voice, “After doing tasks out there, I found that everyone has a hard time. I’m not incapable of doing tasks, and I can’t comfortably enjoy things given to me unconditionally by others.”

Song Xinqi didn’t care whether he had the ability to complete tasks. The entire safety zone was his; he wanted him to stay there and not bother with others.

“You’re the only one who insists on going out,” he said.

“Oh, come on, you’re here with me,” Yu Qing said, moving closer to him.

Song Xinqi wasn’t swayed by his words and placed his hand between them. “Don’t try to deceive me.”

Yu Qing pressed his face against the hand separating them. When Song Xinqi suddenly pulled his hand away, Yu Qing lost his balance and bumped his head against his shoulder. The muscle there tensed up immediately.

He straightened up, rubbed his shoulder, and returned to his seat. “If you’re not going to say anything, then I won’t insist.”

The water ability user steering the boat kept his head low, feeling like he should be in the bottom of the boat.

Upon reaching the shore, the area was littered with zombie corpses. The earth ability user divided the zombie hordes into several large groups for the teams to handle one by one.

Several zombies, with their mouths a mess of rotting flesh, came running towards them. Before they could get close, Song Xinqi used his psychic powers to erase their consciousness, causing them to collapse one after another.

“Get in the car,” he said, opening the passenger seat. After Yu Qing and the snow leopard got in, he went around to the driver’s side.

With the car door closed, the sharp zombie screams outside were muffled, and the engine roared in their ears. Soon, they sped away, leaving the sounds behind.

They arrived at a zombie-infested area that no other ability users had ventured into.

Although they were there to clear zombies, Yu Qing did not participate at all. He just enjoyed the breeze from the car, while zombies outside fell in droves. Occasionally, Song Xinqi would pull a crystal core from his pocket and absorb it.

Yu Qing felt like he was just out for fun and realized it wasn’t right. “I think I need to do something.”

Song Xinqi, with his cold demeanor, said, “Just breathe properly.”

On the other side of the coast, the clearing teams used various abilities in a dramatic and violent manner.

Meanwhile, Yu Qing sat on a large leaf serving as a cushion, eating the lunch he had brought from the safety zone with little enthusiasm. He persisted in self-promotion: “I’m still quite useful.”

“Mm,” Song Xinqi replied without much emotion, taking Yu Xiaoxue to collect crystal cores.

Yu Qing shouted, “Trust me, I’m really capable. I can handle zombies with just Yu Xiaoxue. Let me show you.”

From a distance, Song Xinqi replied, “No.”

“You don’t believe me,” he said, digging into his meal.

“It’s not about belief,” Song Xinqi said, coming over with some crystal cores and tossing them to him. “Are you done eating? Once you are, we’ll continue.”

Yu Qing stood up, following him, rolling up his sleeves as he spoke, “You don’t trust me, but just wait. I’ll capture a mutant for you right now.”

Ultimately, he couldn’t prove himself in front of Song Xinqi. Song Xinqi was too strong, and he didn’t get to handle any zombies.

During his time at Zone X, he had developed the habit of relying on himself. He felt uneasy about clinging to someone else again and couldn’t sleep well at night.

Recently, the research department developed an anti-infection serum. If injected after being scratched by a zombie and without showing infection symptoms, the cure rate reached 100%.

The first batch of the anti-infection serum was quickly snapped up.

“Chief, the mutant chickens raised by the beast tamers have laid eggs. I brought a basket for you.”

Song Xinqi lifted his head from a pile of paperwork. “Just leave it there.”

After finishing his tasks, he carried the basket towards Yu Qing’s residence.

When no one answered the door, he directly climbed through the window. The room was empty except for Yu Xiaobai running on its wheel in the cage.

He pressed his lips into a thin line, placing the basket heavily on the table.

The sunset painted the sky orange, and Yu Qing was racing with Yu Xiaoxue to get home.

He arrived at the door first, teasing Yu Xiaoxue with a tail wag. “Haha, I got here first!”

“Meow”

Opening the door, a tall, dark figure was inside the house.

Yu Xiaoxue walked in front of the startled Yu Qing, who saw Song Xinqi sitting in a chair, holding Yu Xiaobai by its front and back legs, stretching and squishing it with a blank expression.

The orange sunlight streamed through the door, and Song Xinqi showed no sense of guilt for intruding, instead adopting a proprietorial attitude. “Where have you been?”

Yu Qing obediently replied, “I went on a mission.”

Song Xinqi fell silent, evidently displeased with the answer.

Yu Qing took Yu Xiaobai from Song Xinqi’s hands and noticed a basket on the table. “What’s this?”

Walking over, he saw it was filled with eggs. He said cheerfully, “Are you here to deliver eggs?”

As he reached in to grab some, Song Xinqi swatted his hand away.

“Didn’t say they were for you.”

Yu Qing tried to take them anyway. Song Xinqi’s expression darkened, and he threw the basket and stormed out.

Yu Qing stared at his retreating figure, puzzled.

The basket of eggs was eventually returned by Wei Zheng, who said, “The Chief couldn’t eat these, so he reluctantly gave them to you.”

“Okay, I got it,” Yu Qing replied, struggling to keep from laughing.

“Wei Zheng, what did the Chief say?”

Wei Zheng relayed Song Xinqi’s exact words, “The zombies have developed some resistance even to Level 3 abilities. You should take care.”

After he left, Yu Qing was left feeling confused.

Was this a warning to be more careful?

With the anti-infection serum now available, the death rate in the safety zone had significantly decreased. He only wandered near the coast, encountering few serious problems, so he didn’t take it to heart.

One day, after completing a mission without having the chance to claim his points, he hurried home, muttering “faster, faster,” and rummaged through boxes to find a vial of anti-infection serum. He injected it into his arm.

He sat back in his chair, leaning his head back with a long sigh of relief.

In his inverted view, he saw a familiar figure entering through the open door, causing him to sit up suddenly.

Seeing the blood droplet forming at the injection site on his arm, Song Xinqi’s face darkened, and he walked over, exuding an intense aura. “Yu Qing.”

Yu Qing tossed the used syringe into the trash and, seeing Song Xinqi’s glare, stammered, “I wasn’t bitten by a zombie. I got bitten by a mutant fish from the sea. The serum broke, so I had to use the anti-infection serum.”

Song Xinqi’s anger didn’t subside, and he pressed on. “Didn’t I tell you not to go out again?”

“…Did you?”

“What if you had shown infection symptoms? Did you consider that?” Song Xinqi pressed closer, his brows furrowed in anger.

“I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Song Xinqi’s chest heaved, grabbing Yu Qing’s injured hand, his eyes filled with fury. “There’s no such thing as ‘more careful. When it comes to your safety. If you get hurt, how am I supposed to trust you to stay safe?”

Yu Qing’s gaze shifted, and he said softly, “Injuries are inevitable. No one can guarantee they won’t get hurt.”

Song Xinqi sneered, “I can. But you can’t.”

“If you go out again and I find out, I’ll cancel all your points.”

Yu Qing was stunned by his words, wanting to refute but then realizing he needed to understand Song Xinqi’s hidden meaning.

Song Xinqi continued, “Even with the anti-infection serum, a horde of zombies could tear you apart with just one bite each. With your limited skills, how can you fight them?”

Translation: The outside world is very dangerous.

“Before, with the psychic link, it was different. Now, without any protective measures, if you die out there, no one will know.”

Translation: Without the psychic link, I can’t reach you in time when you’re in danger like before.

Song Xinqi’s gaze lingered on the needle mark, his tone becoming sharper. “If you stay in the safety zone, none of this would happen. You’re clearly trying to upset me.”

Translation: I don’t want you to get hurt; it worries me.

His anger kept rising, and he almost wanted to confine him. But seeing his bewildered expression, he swallowed back the harsh words.

With his anger still simmering, his stern expression softened as Yu Qing slowly covered his face, his ears turning red.

“Are you worried about me?” He asked.

“Why should I care about you?” Song Xinqi said brusquely. “Without the psychic link, whether you live or die has nothing to do with me.”

He still seemed to hold a grudge about the psychic link.

“Then just give me another link,” Yu Qing said. “It shouldn’t be difficult for you.”

Song Xinqi’s dark eyes fixed on him. He continued, “If you don’t want me to go out, I won’t. It’s dangerous outside. I’ll just do tasks inside the safety zone.”

Song Xinqi’s tone softened. “That’s fine.”

Realizing he had interpreted Song Xinqi’s intentions correctly, Yu Qing congratulated himself internally. He finally understood his thought process.

Closing his eyes, he felt a new, distinct connection form in his mind, linking to those around him.

“I’ve given you a different kind of link,” Song Xinqi said sternly. “It’s mainly for communication and positioning. If your pain accumulates to a certain threshold, the link will alert me. It’s much simpler than the psychic link but sufficient.”

Yu Qing nodded, and in his mind, he called out, 【Hey, can you hear me?】

Song Xinqi replied, “What?”

With long, thick eyelashes fluttering, Yu Qing looked a bit shy and communicated through their mental link, 【I really like you.】

Song Xinqi snorted, indifferent to his declaration of affection.

【Not the kind of liking that friends have, but the kind with ulterior motives.】

Song Xinqi abruptly turned around, his eyes locked onto Yu Qing’s.

Yu Qing, initially confident, started to feel uneasy when he didn’t react. Was it possible that he didn’t like him?

However, the next moment, Song Xinqi suddenly grabbed his face, causing his mouth to pucker. He watched as Song Xinqi’s face came closer, their eyes nearly touching, their reflections almost blending into one.

“This is what you said,” Song Xinqi said, staring deeply into his clear eyes as if to see through all his thoughts. “If you like me, you must listen to me for a lifetime.”