This Villain Ch.52

Chapter 52: Third Brother: Is love enough? I’ll try

The people brought by the Zhou family were well-trained and soon discovered the whereabouts of Yu Yan and the others.

A squad of over ten people, armed with weapons, confirmed their location and quickly closed in.

Yu Yan did not have such strong hearing to detect footsteps from hundreds of meters away, but 012, being inherently sensitive and even more so in evolution, was akin to a detector.

From the subtle movements of 012’s head, it was evident that he had detected their movements before the others did.

The building was severely collapsed on the floors, and the stairs had deteriorated significantly, requiring climbing up and down.

If 012 had been alone, he could have flown hundreds of meters away, out of the attackers’ range, but now he had a non-flying partner.

The flying little bird bat could only stay nearby.

Yu Yan was fast and had no trouble climbing with his bare hands; when faced with particularly high gaps, 012 would support him and help him advance.

Grasping a protruding rebar with one hand, Yu Yan climbed to the next floor and heard footsteps from below.

In a moment’s glance, 012, who had been beside him, suddenly turned and flew into a collapsed hole, descending to the floor below.

Comparing the speed of his partner with the advancing, hostile humans, 012 felt threatened and decided to take the initiative to intercept them before they could see his partner.

In 012’s current state, his primal instincts overwhelmed his rationality, making him more ferocious in action than usual.

The few people who reached the upper floor had not even used their weapons before falling down the stairs, leaving a trail of blood.

Those nearby saw only a fleeting shadow of him; by the time they noticed, their companions had already fallen, and they hurriedly raised their guns to shoot.

The energy guns made only a small noise, but each shot destroyed a part of the already decayed building, causing debris and bodies to fall downward.

Yu Yan listened to the various screams below but did not hear 012’s voice.

012 preferred not to make any noise during battle. It was his habit; he didn’t like to make a sound in those situations.

These people were no match for him. Some had bypassed the battlefield below and climbed up from the outside. Yu Yan drew his energy gun.

“Bang.” The energy gun left blackened marks on the wall as Yu Yan took cover behind an obstacle, quietly counting the increasing number of scorched bullet holes on the wall.

Suddenly, there were a few cries of pain from outside. Yu Yan put his gun down and stepped out from his hiding place.

012 had already returned to the upper floor and dealt with those people. His hands and face were covered in blood, and his breathing was more rapid than usual, indicating he had been in a rush.

The bloodstained little bird bat flew over the corpses on the ground and landed beside Yu Yan, nuzzling him reassuringly and accidentally smearing blood from its chin onto Yu Yan’s cheek.

With that, 012 moved away from his seemingly unharmed partner and flew out through a broken window.

The sound of shattering glass came from below, and the last four members of the squad were dealt with.

After eliminating all the threats, 012 returned and carefully licked the blood off Yu Yan’s face.

It seemed that a mere dozen or so enemies wasn’t enough to stimulate him.

Yu Yan looked at his unchanged expression and said, “Let’s go. We need to head that way.”

It should be very dangerous over by Su He’s location; they needed to regroup with her.

*

Zhou Sheqing, protected by dozens of bodyguards she had arranged, entered the building and was surprised to see Su He inside.

Seeing Su He and the silver wolf by her side, Zhou Sheqing’s steps came to an abrupt halt.

“Xiao He? Your location wasn’t supposed to be here… Have you found out?” Zhou Sheqing’s expression became pitiful. “We can talk about this later. It’s very dangerous here; Zhou Yuanyou wants to kill me. Please, come quickly, and let’s escape together.”

Su He looked at her empty eye socket, blood streaming down her face, and a wound on her shoulder, and shook her head slowly.

“I can no longer trust you,” Su He said. “I can’t tell if you and your uncle are genuinely at odds or if it’s all an act.”

The pitiful expression on Zhou Sheqing’s face vanished, revealing a genuine madness that was even more intense than her earlier expression of being wounded.

“Su He, how could you think that of me? No matter what, I would never want you dead!”

“Come on, come with me! I’m here to get you!”

“Bang!”

“Miss, they’re coming after us!”

*

Outside, Zhou Yuanyou was using a medical device to heal his injuries, while Xiao Wei and Xiao Hong observed from a nearby building.

“Wow, that thing in his hand is really useful. We should steal it! That way, we can use it when anyone gets injured in the future!” Xiao Wei said.

Xiao Hong added, “Didn’t Big Brother’s friend tell us to blow up the pile of dirt over there? Should we do it now?”

“Of course! Let me handle it. I’ll use this cannon we took from Rainbow Cage Manor; it’s the most powerful one!”

“You don’t know how to use it—let me do it; I’m the most accurate!”

“I know how to use it!”

They argued back and forth until someone accidentally pressed the launch button. With a loud boom, the vehicle closest to the building was hit.

The vehicle, made from special materials, didn’t explode but its exterior was charred and overturned.

The noise startled Zhou Yuanyou.

He pushed aside the bodyguards shielding him and exclaimed angrily, “We came here secretly—how could there be so many ambushes? Is this all Zhou Sheqing’s doing?!”

“Oh no, we didn’t hit the pile of dirt he mentioned.”

Xiao Wei and Xiao Hong exchanged glances. If the man being protected wasn’t so far away and out of range, they would have preferred to target him directly.

“It’s your fault for arguing with me! Let’s try again!”

This time, they accurately hit the pile of dirt Yu Yan had pointed out. The pile exploded, causing a deafening rumble as the entire area began to collapse.

This area was specifically chosen by Yu Yan; beneath it were large cavities dug out by mutated rodents. Once the path began to collapse, it would be very difficult to retreat, forcing them to move forward.

“Sir, it’s dangerous outside; the ground is collapsing. We should get in the car and leave.”

Protected by his bodyguards, Zhou Yuanyou got into a vehicle, and the convoy advanced into the chaotic old city.

To prevent further ambushes from either side, the vehicles leading the way fired at the buildings on both sides.

Thunderous explosions and collapsing sounds echoed far and wide, startling all manner of creatures hidden beneath the ruins of the old city.

Groups of beetles, mutated rats, and other creatures emerged from the ground.

Yu Yan and his group had already moved far from the open area and were gradually approaching the building where the bats roosted.

In the overgrown field and abandoned parking lot filled with rusted old vehicles, Zhou Sheqing’s bodyguards were engaged in a gunfight with another group of bodyguards pursuing them.

Su He was also present, with some of her attackers quickly taken down and torn apart by the silver wolf, whose mouth and body were covered in blood.

Yu Yan approached Su He, who was near the edge, and said, “Su He, let’s go.”

Seeing Yu Yan and 012, Zhou Sheqing’s already distorted expression grew even more twisted.

“So it was you. You’re the one who hid Su He, and 012 is still by your side… You disguised yourself so well that I truly thought you were useless,” Zhou Sheqing muttered.

At that moment, her hatred for Yu Yan surpassed even her hatred for Zhou Yuanyou. Even if she were to die here today, she wanted him to die with her.

“It’s all your fault; I’ll kill you,” Zhou Sheqing’s lips moved in a silent threat.

Yu Yan and his group managed to withdraw from the battlefield first and headed towards the rear. Zhou Sheqing, not willing to give up, pursued them relentlessly.

“How did it go? Did you talk to her?” Yu Yan asked Su He.

Su He shook her head. “There’s nothing left to discuss.”

Before the crisis, Zhou Sheqing had pretended to agree with her despite not sharing her views. Now, everything was laid bare.

They were not truly kindred spirits. What Su He valued was something Zhou Sheqing scorned, and the necklace was something Zhou Sheqing saw no issue with.

At this point, Zhou Sheqing continued to feign acknowledgment.

With the sound of explosions growing closer, Yu Yan frowned and said, “Find cover and hide!”

Zhou Yuanyou’s convoy indiscriminately fired at the surrounding buildings. Among them were two buildings that Yu Yan had equipped with small demolition devices salvaged from the basement of the skyscraper.

He had originally intended these as a precaution, to test their power before deciding whether to detonate the largest demolition device.

Who knew that Mr. Zhou would not care and cooperate so much.

Before Yu Yan could even manually trigger the explosion, Zhou Yuanyou had ignited it.

The mutated creatures sensed the impending danger earlier than humans. Just before the deafening explosion, 012 shoved Yu Yan into a sturdy obstacle and covered him with his body.

What followed was a long period of earth-shaking aftershocks.

The convoy closest to the blast had the worst outcome, with almost all the vehicles being thrown into the air. Only a small fraction of the bodyguards who managed to crawl out of the wreckage were still operational.

Zhou Sheqing and her group fared no better. Although they were farther away, the lack of vehicle protection left them tossed by the blast wave.

Su He had fainted nearby, having hit her head in the chaos. The silver wolf was trying to lift her from the ground.

Yu Yan, who was the farthest from the explosion, had a ringing in his ears. He propped himself up, shaking off the debris and dust from the silver-gray wings that had been shielding him.

012 was the fastest and most agile of the group. If not for the need to protect Yu Yan, he could have avoided the falling debris. With the area strewn with wreckage, 012 was in the best condition.

Yu Yan noticed the silver wolf nearby, which had grown to twice its normal size, and then looked at his own little bird bat partner.

He was still in the middle of his evolution.

012 sensed the danger but remained calm, even appearing composed as it scanned its surroundings.

Yu Yan thought: OK.

He had underestimated 012’s response, thinking that the thrill of the escape and the grandeur of the pursuit and explosion would excite the little bird bat.

But it seemed he was mistaken.

For a creature that was indifferent to his own pain, cold towards others, and excessively focused on his partner, such stimuli did not affect him.

“012, do you see Mr. Zhou over there? Now’s the chance to kill him, and we’ll be safe.”

Yu Yan pointed to Zhou Yuanyou, who was being dragged out of a vehicle by a few injured bodyguards, hoping to coax his somewhat disoriented little bird bat partner into action.

012 was reluctant to leave his partner, but under Yu Yan’s sweet talk and encouragement, he eventually went.

“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you inside the building. As long as you’re quick enough, I’ll be safe,” Yu Yan said with a smile, planting a kiss on 012’s cheek.

Those who had been knocked unconscious by the blast quickly began to wake up. Zhou Sheqing, who had a relatively mild case, saw 012 charging towards Zhou Yuanyou and immediately focused on Yu Yan who was alone.

Yu Yan met her gaze, his expression inscrutable, a smile playing at his lips as he made a “please” gesture and then turned to enter the building.

012 plunged into the scattered convoy, where the bodyguards, barely escaping from the smoking vehicles, were powerless to fight back. Only a few of them managed to weakly draw their weapons.

Easily bypassing their attempts to block him, 012 stormed into the encircled area, heading straight for Zhou Yuanyou.

Zhou Sheqing waited for 012 to become trapped in the encirclement and be unable to return. At that moment, she signaled her bodyguards.

“Go in, capture him.”

Before 012 could capture Zhou Yuanyou, he sensed something was wrong and turned around to see Zhou Sheqing and a group of bodyguards pursuing his partner into the building.

Immediately, he turned back and charged towards the building.

Zhou Sheqing stood on the stairs, aiming a compact energy gun at Yu Yan’s head. “012, you care about him, don’t you? Go kill Zhou Yuanyou and his men, or I’ll kill him.”

As the confrontation occurred, Zhou Sheqing’s words were barely out when two bodyguards at the rear of her team fell with screams.

“Bang!” Zhou Sheqing quickly shot Yu Yan in the shoulder, piercing through it.

Yu Yan grunted, blood instantly staining his shirt.

“Don’t come closer. Go kill everyone outside, or I’ll shoot his head with the next bullet!” Zhou Sheqing’s expression was tinged with madness.

Seeing this, 012 halted, his silver-gray eyes tinged with blue. His bloodlust surged, wanting to kill Zhou Sheqing and everyone blocking her.

His gaze fixed on his captured partner, the smell of blood was stirring a rare, visible anger on his face.

Amused by this rare display of fury, Zhou Sheqing laughed and suddenly fired another shot at Yu Yan’s leg.

Blood splattered on the stairs, and 012’s pupils constricted. His wings flared in anger, giving Zhou Sheqing a sense of vengeful satisfaction.

“Hurry up, 012, or I’ll keep shooting.”

012’s departure was followed by the sound of gunfire outside. Zhou Sheqing led Yu Yan up the stairs with her bodyguards, urging them on as they ascended.

“Go, up the stairs,” Zhou Sheqing commanded, keeping the energy gun aimed at Yu Yan’s head. “I like to stay in higher places.”

By the time they reached the seventh floor, Yu Yan’s face was pale from blood loss. Zhou Sheqing showed no sign of sympathy, instructing her bodyguards, “Contact the Central District and arrange for a pickup. For now, we’ll rest here.”

She guided Yu Yan to the window and looked down, enjoying the scene below where 012 was killing indiscriminately.

“012 is becoming more formidable, even better than he was at the research facility.”

From her elevated vantage point, Zhou Sheqing could see 012 moving swiftly through the crowd, heading straight for Zhou Yuanyou. Blood erupted on the open ground below.

Laughing with satisfaction, Zhou Sheqing leaned in close to Yu Yan’s ear and said, “You let me catch you on purpose, didn’t you? Why? To prove how much 012 cares about you?”

Yu Yan took a slow breath, trying to ease the pain from his shoulder and leg. Watching the chaos below, he replied weakly, “I’m actually a doctor. Everything I do is to help heal people.”

“I don’t want to hear your nonsense,” Zhou Sheqing sneered. “Soon, I’ll kill you in front of 012. What do you think his reaction will be?”

“He’ll go berserk and start killing,” Yu Yan said. “But I think you won’t just kill me. If you did, he’d turn on you once he’s done with the people below. You need me as your bargaining chip.”

Zhou Sheqing despised his calm demeanor, especially when faced with imminent death. He wasn’t begging or pleading.

“That’s right. I still hope you can convince Su He to come back with me. With you in my hands, they’ll all be willing to return.”

She spoke with a tone of hatred, raising her hand to shoot Yu Yan in the other leg. Yu Yan suddenly broke free from her grasp, rolling aside, and Zhou Sheqing’s gun only hit the ground.

Zhou Sheqing wanted to fire again when suddenly a beastly roar came from behind. Several bodyguards were knocked down by a suddenly appearing silver wolf.

Startled, Zhou Sheqing raised her hand to grab Yu Yan but then heard a shout: “Sheqing!”

Su He leaped out from a corner, her face full of anger and determination. Zhou Sheqing’s remaining eye widened in shock as she saw Su He’s face come close, and the muzzle of the gun subconsciously lowered.

Under the immense force, the two of them tumbled out of the shattered window.

“Roar!” The silver wolf followed, leaping into the air and catching Su He in its jaws. Its jumping power was incredible, using the walls of nearby high-rise buildings to cushion its fall.

But no one caught Zhou Sheqing, who fell from the seventh floor and crashed heavily onto the debris-strewn ground.

Yu Yan lay by the window, with the window frame falling away beside him. Another noise followed as the fallen window frame perfectly framed Zhou Sheqing, resembling a chaotic painting smeared with red. The painting was titled “Death.”

The shattered ground beneath also began to crumble as the window frame fell.

Touching the blood on his shoulder, Yu Yan smiled wryly and saw the little bird bat rushing toward him from a distance.

He pushed lightly against the cracked ground but seemed to lack strength, falling away from the window edge.

012 could fly, but his wings could only lift himself—a hollow bird, unable to carry a solid human.

So, if he couldn’t evolve successfully, developing stronger wings and faster speed, his beloved partner would die here today.

Yu Yan was curious—could he really succeed? It was a fleeting thought, just enough to cross his mind.

He felt himself crash into a soft body; he had been caught.

The hollow little bird bat had absorbed the tremendous impact of the fall.

Yu Yan saw a larger and wider pair of wings unfold behind him, the wings rapidly growing and replacing the damaged ones.

In his panic and urgency, Yu Yan heard his own astonished laugh.

“So, it really is possible.”

<< _ >>

**TN

After two super-long chapters, I’m finally done for today. I am freeee~ Hahaha Only 2 chapters left. Oww….