After Raising Monsters, I Was Loved by Everyone in the Wasteland – CH41

Chapter 41

After a few moments, Li Yongming came back to himself.

Not only had Wen Jinfeng misjudged his own brother, but even he had also underestimated Wen Xin’s ambitions.

If Wen Xin weren’t so sincere, Li Yongming might have thought he was witnessing a rivalry between brothers.

Wen Xin noticed Li Yongming’s hesitation and asked quietly, “Is it impossible?”

Li Yongming hesitated, choosing his words carefully. “Given Captain Wen’s current position, it’s unlikely anyone could pose a real threat to him.”

Considering the elite forces Wen Jinfeng commanded and the extensive weapon reserves at the base, Li Yongming thought that unless his boss deliberately went after others, no one would dare challenge him.

Wen Xin replied calmly, “Unlikely doesn’t mean impossible. If I stay at home doing nothing, I’ll always be worried.”

Despite the steady tone, Wen Xin’s expression was so sincere that Li Yongming felt a tug at his heart.

Of course, it was a bit unrealistic for Wen Xin to imagine gaining enough power to support someone like Wen Jinfeng. However, he wanted to rise to keep Wen Jinfeng safe, which made his ambition seem admirable.

Compared to the troublesome relatives he’d assumed his boss might have, this one was an unexpected surprise.

Li Yongming’s tone softened. “If Captain Wen knew your intentions, he’d be glad. But you should avoid mentioning this again—especially about wanting to surpass him. People might twist your words against you.”

Wen Xin nodded earnestly, his clear gaze showing he’d understood.

How obedient, Li Yongming thought, resisting the urge to ruffle his hair. Instead, he kept a composed expression. “If you want to enter management, you’ll need to understand the basics of how the base works. Moving up also requires proven skills and experience, or it’ll be difficult to gain the team’s respect.”

“I’ll arrange for someone to show you around, and you can join the recruit training camp for the official military. Once you’ve developed your skills, you can go on missions to build your record.”

This was the safest, most stable route Li Yongming could think of for Wen Xin. The rest could be considered once Wen Jinfeng returned.

*

When the apocalypse struck, many signal towers failed due to power issues, and the internet went down completely. In City A’s base, they were using high-powered diesel generators to keep some towers active, maintaining limited communication and emergency radio transmissions.

Li Yongming gave Wen Xin a communicator that resembled a walkie-talkie from a police show. It had two preset channels—one to contact Li Yongming and the other for the base’s security team.

Li Yongming, still needed back on the battlefield, drove off after arranging everything.

Wen Xin held Xiao Hei in the front hall for a while before a staff member came to show him his room. The room was spotless, the floors polished to a shine.

Exhausted and with no appetite, Wen Xin declined any meal except for some meat for Xiao Hei, then finished off half a pack of dry rations from his suitcase.

After resting briefly, Wen Xin began doing push-ups and sit-ups, though the fatigue made each movement harder than usual. Sweat dripped from his forehead and down his pale face, hitting the floor one drop at a time.

Yet, driven by some unknown determination, he pushed himself, managing even more reps than when fully rested.

Xiao Hei sat quietly on the table, watching him intently.

The room had a private bathroom and a bathtub. Soaking his exhausted body, Wen Xin’s mind drifted back to his conversation with Li Yongming.

He knew Li Yongming didn’t believe him. Most people would find his ambitions unrealistic. But he needed to speak now. If he waited, it could seem like he was vying for power.

Lifting his arm to cover his eyes, Wen Xin let the steam envelop him, tracing trails over his slender shoulders. Water droplets fell from his fingertips into the bath with soft drops.

Would Wen Jinfeng face real danger?

He didn’t know for sure. Yet, some details he’d noticed at the base left him with a nagging feeling that Wen Jinfeng was walking a knife’s edge, teetering over an abyss.

He sighed deeply, knowing this fear was ungrounded but hating the idea of being powerless if disaster struck.

Like that night on the G177 Highway with the giant zombie.

Or every goodbye he’d said to the little one he cherished.

Maybe Ah Jiu once felt the same way, clinging to the need to grow stronger…

Submerged in warm water, Wen Xin leaned back, and his thoughts began to drift until he found himself slipping into sleep.

In his dream, the apocalypse hadn’t happened, and all the little ones were still there.

Xiao Qi and Ah Lü argued endlessly over what to watch on TV, and in their scuffle, they knocked a bag of snacks onto the floor. Ah Zi, furious, dropped his broom and dashed to the kitchen to report them.

Wen Xin, seeing Ah Zi stomping with anger, washed his hands quickly and picked him up, patting him gently.

Ah Jiu brought out a steaming dish, calling everyone to eat, and Lan Tuan poked his head out from the water basin.

Wen Xin set down Ah Zi, picked up Ah Lü and Xiao Qi by their scruffs, and watched them obediently clean up the mess on the floor.

They all ate together, washed dishes side by side, and laughed when Xiao Qi accidentally got foam all over its face, earning him a teasing remark from Ah Lü.

Before Xiao Qi could react, Ah Jiu swooped in, whisking it away, and Wen Xin playfully stuck a dab of foam on Ah Lü’s nose, causing it to cross its eyes in confusion.

Wen Xin burst out laughing until an indignant Ah Lü leaped at him, making him laugh even harder as he tried to dodge, running toward the living room.

Suddenly, everyone joined in, with Xiao Qi clinging to his arm, Ah Zi grabbing his hand, and Lan Tuan lazily flopping onto his leg.

Ah Jiu, now a little golden bird, chirped on his stomach, calling for him.

Wen Xin fell back on the sofa, surrounded by the soft, warm little ones, their weight pressing on him until he could barely breathe, laughing as he tried to wriggle free.

The night was dark outside, the city lights dazzling, but inside, everything was bright and cozy.

For the first time, Wen Xin felt he truly had a home.

He knew he was missing someone, though. And just as he thought about it, a pair of hands gently lifted him from among the little ones, cradling him.

The hands were strong and firm, yet Wen Xin felt a chill as if touching winter’s frost.

He instinctively shrank back.

The figure holding him froze.

Then, warmth radiated from the person’s body, and Wen Xin relaxed, resting his face against them with a soft sigh of contentment.

The person held him carefully, rocking him ever so slightly as if lulling him back to sleep.

Half-asleep, Wen Xin muttered, “Xiao Hei…”

The person holding him tensed.

After a pause, a deep, rough voice replied, “Yes, it’s me.”

They set Wen Xin down gently on a bed.

Wen Xin, barely awake, tried to lift his eyes to see their face, but a warm hand covered his eyes.

Sleepiness washed over him, and he couldn’t resist closing his eyes, sensing Xiao Hei guiding his hand to his face.

His fingers traced a high nose, sharp brow, hollowed eye sockets, and cool lips.

Xiao Hei must be very handsome, Wen Xin thought.

But why couldn’t he look?

Xiao Hei then led his hand to touch his neck, but this time Wen Xin felt scales—warm, not cold.

Curious, he ran his fingers over them. Xiao Hei let him explore until Wen Xin’s hand brushed a spot just below the collarbone, and Xiao Hei shuddered.

Wen Xin hesitated, withdrawing his hand, but Xiao Hei held it steady, guiding his fingers over a soft, thin patch of skin.

Beneath that skin, something pulsed, pressing against Wen Xin’s fingers.

Thump, thump, thump…

It was a heartbeat.

Wen Xin’s eyes widened, fingers trembling as Xiao Hei held them firmly in place.

The heartbeat’s rhythm grew clearer, an undeniable, solid presence.

Touching it felt like holding molten rock—scorching, intense.

“Wen Xin…”

Xiao Hei’s voice broke through, thick and rough.

Now he understood his own vulnerability, his supposed coldness crumbling.

As Wen Xin’s fingers rested over his heart, Xiao Hei leaned closer, whispering his name over and over.

“Wen Xin.”

“Remember this, remember that this is my weak spot.”

Xiao Hei’s breath shuddered, his voice laced with vulnerability.

“If I ever lose control, only you will know how to stop me.”

The world outside bustled, people moving to and fro as dusk fell over the base.

No one knew that, in a quiet room, the world’s strongest mutant was revealing his deepest weakness to a frail human, sharing a dangerous truth with an intense, hidden passion.

“And only you, Wen Xin, have the power to end me.”

*

Wen Xin jolted awake, sitting up with his chest heaving, his breathing rapid. He glanced down, feeling something solid in his hand.

A black scale rested in his palm, deep and dark, radiating a mysterious intensity.

His fingers, still warm from the memory, traced its surface.

A soft breeze made him look toward the window.

It was open, white curtains billowing gently in the wind, forming soft ripples.

The room was silent, and Xiao Hei was nowhere to be seen.

*

Two days later.

Wen Xin was walking down a corridor when a young man suddenly appeared behind him, tapping him on the shoulder.

“Hey, Wen Xin, I heard this training will let us observe those dangerous mutants up close. Are you scared?”

Want more chapters that are downloadable as EPUB or PDF? Click Here~