Chapter Sixty: The Intruder

Chapter Sixty

At last, Mei finally tasted the roast duck she had been longing for! When a roast duck, hefty enough to rival a suckling pig, was placed on the table, not only did Mei’s eyes shine, but everyone else, drawn by its aroma, swallowed involuntarily.

“I haven’t made this in ages. I hope my skills haven’t declined. Please, everyone, enjoy!” Old Yu smiled as he took a small knife and, right there in front of everyone, sliced the roast duck into thin pieces. When he finished, the duck still appeared whole, as if untouched—one could hardly tell where it had been cut!

“Uncle, your knife skills are amazing!” Mei watched his deft movements and couldn’t help but praise him, recognizing the mastery in his hands.

“Thank you for your kind words, Miss Mei!” Old Yu replied with a cheerful smile.

After Ye Shitian raised his chopsticks, everyone eagerly reached for the platter. Thin lotus leaf pancakes wrapped around the crispy outside and tender inside of the duck, paired with a special sauce, slivers of scallion and cucumber—the duck was rich but not greasy, the sauce brought sweet and salty notes, the scallion offered a hint of spice, and the cucumber added a refreshing aroma. The taste was truly indescribable!

Afterward, a bowl of fresh soup made from the duck’s bones completed the meal, leaving everyone utterly satisfied.

“Old Yu, you’re so biased. Such skills, yet you only show them when Jingxuan comes back. I’ve lived here so long and barely tasted your cooking.” After the meal, Ye Jingnan began to complain about Old Yu’s favoritism.

“You’re mistaken, Young Master. Tonight’s dishes weren’t made for you, but specially for Miss Mei!” Old Yu countered, still smiling, knowing Ye Jingnan was only joking.

Mei was stunned for a moment when she heard this. She looked up to see Old Yu smiling at her, and thought he must be thanking her for driving the deathly energy from his body. Her eyes sparkled, full of expectation.

“Uncle, can we have something different tomorrow?”

“Of course! What would you like to eat, Miss Mei? If I know how to make it, I’ll do it!”

“Wonderful! I’ve heard Eight Treasure Duck is delicious. Can you make it, Uncle?” Mei was instantly excited as soon as Old Yu agreed.

“No problem. Tomorrow, Eight Treasure Duck for Miss Mei!” Old Yu promised.

With that promise, Mei nestled into the sofa, her smile even more content.

Ye Jingnan watched their interaction from the side, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

As for the others, Ye Shitian was delighted with the lively atmosphere in the house; since the apocalypse began, it hadn’t been so bustling for a long time. Ye Jingxuan was naturally happy to see Mei getting along so well with his family. Mo Chen, though he felt Ye Jingxuan’s plan was cunning, admitted that he had hit Mei’s weakness perfectly—Mei had no other cook, so she steadily drew closer to Ye Jingxuan, leaving Mo Chen helpless. He could only tell himself that it was rare for Mei to be so happy, and that was enough.

An Ziyou once again witnessed Mei’s devotion to food, watching her eyes light up and her energetic expression whenever she heard about delicious dishes. He couldn’t help but wonder if he should learn more recipes from Old Yu—so that whatever she wanted to eat in the future, he could make it for her.

Lin Shaojie and Qu Wenjuan, hearing that tomorrow would bring more good food, instantly looked forward to it.

Unfortunately, this pleasant atmosphere lasted only until nightfall.

Late at night, a shadow slipped quietly into the Ye family estate, sneaking into the main house. The figure moved swiftly and silently, passing by without alerting a single night guard.

Once inside, the intruder revealed a watch-like device on his wrist. A red dot blinked, directing him toward a certain room on the second floor.

Following the indicator, he ascended to the second floor and stood outside a door, gently turning the handle only to find it locked from inside. He took out a strangely shaped key, inserted it into the lock, and easily opened the door.

He slipped inside noiselessly and closed the door behind him. Approaching the bed, he looked at the sleeping figure, took out a small bottle, and sprayed it toward the person. After waiting a few seconds, he produced a syringe, pulled out the person’s arm, and prepared to inject.

But before the needle touched the slender arm, he was struck by a tremendous force, sending him crashing toward the window. Glass shattered instantly, and the intruder fell to the ground clutching his abdomen.

The sound of breaking glass echoed through the silent night, reaching the ears of everyone in the Ye house. Lights snapped on one by one, and people rushed from their rooms. Seeing that Mei was the only one missing, they hurried to her room.

Entering, they switched on the light to find Mei sitting thoughtfully on her bed. Opposite her, a masked figure in black lay curled on the floor, clutching his stomach in pain. A syringe lay scattered nearby—his intent was obvious.

Ye Jingxuan, brimming with murderous intent, strode forward and tore the mask from the intruder’s face. He wanted to see which fool dared come to the Ye house to harm someone—especially someone so important to him. He would not let this go lightly.

The mask was removed, revealing an ordinary face. Everyone was startled, for it was the very staff member who had drawn their blood for tests earlier that day.

Ye Jingxuan paused only briefly before aiming a kick at the man’s leg—yet his kick struck only air. The man vanished without a trace!

“To play substitution tricks before me is courting death!” Mei’s voice rang coldly, even as the others puzzled over the sudden disappearance. A white light shot toward a corner of the room. With a muffled groan, the man’s figure reappeared, kneeling on the ground.

Mei stepped forward and lifted his chin, forcing him to look up. There was blood at the corner of his mouth and his face looked grim, but his eyes were calm.

“I remember you,” Mei said, gazing into his eyes. “The face is different, but I remember your eyes. You’re the one who killed me before.”

“Killed you? When was this?” Mo Chen’s expression grew darker as he walked forward to question the man.

Beside him, Ye Jingxuan’s body suddenly radiated intense murderous energy upon hearing Mei’s words, though his face was even more composed than before. Those who knew him understood this was the prelude to his torture mode.

Ye Jingnan, seeing his cousin’s expression, silently mourned for the man on the ground. He remembered the last person who drove Ye Jingxuan to this state—the corpse was barely recognizable by the end, and the face was one of relief.

He wondered how long this man could endure.

“A few days before the apocalypse began, when you found me,” Mei struggled to remain calm, though the original body’s lingering emotions surged when she recognized the man.

“You didn’t die—why?” the man asked, puzzled. “Your carotid artery was cut, your heart damaged, and you were injected with gene-chain destroying drugs. How did you survive?”

He seemed unconcerned about his predicament, utterly indifferent to the growing hostility around him. Instead, he was more interested in how Mei had survived.

Mei recalled the immense energy she had spent repairing the body after he had destroyed it—her teeth clenched in anger. If he hadn’t damaged the body so severely, she wouldn’t have had to use all her energy for repairs, leaving none for merging the two bodies.

“Why should I tell you? So you can kill me again?” Mei replied irritably.

“No, I won’t kill you. The Doctor is interested in you. He wants me to bring you back,” the man shook his head.

“He said I was a failure. Why is he suddenly interested in me, the so-called failure?” Mei raised an eyebrow. In her memory, she recalled the man saying she was a failure, and the Doctor sent him to clean up.

“You awakened abilities, your body data changed dramatically, and most importantly, your genes have changed. The Doctor is very interested.” The man saw nothing wrong in revealing this.

Though he had failed, others would come to complete the mission, until she was brought back.

So her genes had really changed.

Mei’s understanding of genetics came only from memory. She had worried that merging bodies might alter her genes; now, it was clear.

She glanced anxiously at Mo Chen, unsure how to explain the genetic changes.

Mo Chen mistook her concern for unease. Remembering she had been injected with gene-chain destroying drugs, he feared that surviving might carry hidden dangers, making her understandably anxious.

He suppressed his anger, stepped forward, and embraced Mei gently, whispering reassurance: “Don’t worry. No matter what happens, I’ll help you. You’ll be all right.”

Mei didn’t know what Mo Chen had imagined, but his words soothed her, and she nodded gently in his arms.

“Any other questions?” Ye Jingxuan asked, struggling to keep his rage in check.

Mei pulled away from Mo Chen and turned to the man on the ground. “Where is the Doctor?”

“I don’t know,” he shook his head.

“You don’t? Then prepare to die.” Mei had expected this answer—she asked only on the off-chance. The hierarchy there was strict; outsiders like him couldn’t possibly know such secrets.

Mei extended her hand to act, but Ye Jingxuan grabbed her wrist.

“He’s not worth dirtying your hands. Leave him to me.”

She saw the red in Ye Jingxuan’s eyes and the violence he struggled to restrain. Mei smiled softly and shook her head.

“This revenge must be mine alone, or I’ll regret it later.” If her resentment wasn’t released, it would become a hazard when the bodies fully merged. She had to do it herself.

Ye Jingxuan saw her determination, hesitated for a long time, then slowly let go.

Mei looked again at the man on the floor. He was calm, his nerves long since modified—he felt no fear. With the mission failed and no escape, he had accepted his fate. Mei had no intention of torturing him. She moved her fingers through the air, drawing a six-pointed star that appeared and enveloped him. His life force was quickly drained away.

The star vanished. The man collapsed, nothing outwardly changed, but he was dead beyond doubt.