Blame the Villain – Chapter 34
by Little PandaThe Villainous Scientist (14)
Starting From Scratch: Little Marshal x Mad, Dark, Sickly Scientist
“System, does she… like me?”
After kissing Song Xuyi, Jiang Qianyu collapsed limply into Song Xuyi’s arms.
Song Xuyi did not know whether Jiang Qianyu was truly drunk or only pretending. She sat stiffly by the bonfire, cradling Jiang Qianyu in her arms. Her heart was beating so fast it felt as though it might leap from her chest, and her face flushed nearly as red as that of the girl resting against her.
Even if she was slow to grasp matters of the heart, the look in Jiang Qianyu’s eyes had betrayed something unusual. When she recalled how clingy Jiang Qianyu had been lately, Song Xuyi realized belatedly—she and Jiang Qianyu had indeed been growing a little too close recently.
Although Jiang Qianyu was the villain, once Song Xuyi guessed that Jiang Qianyu was from the Jiang family, she had abandoned her plan to convince Jiang Qianyu to let go of her hatred.
Song Xuyi now only wanted to establish a firm foothold on Blue Star, build her strength, and ultimately rely on her own power to keep the male and female leads alive.
Because she felt some sympathy for Jiang Qianyu’s circumstances, and since the current Jiang Qianyu had not committed the errors detailed in the plot outline—namely, massacring Alphas—Song Xuyi had looked after her a bit more during this period, hoping to mitigate her hostility as much as possible…
In her heart, however, Song Xuyi only viewed Jiang Qianyu as a sister. She had never expected Jiang Qianyu to harbor other feelings for her.
“Probably!” the System hummed after a moment. “It’s not surprising if she likes you…”
Song Xuyi pursed her lips tightly.
Onlookers always saw more clearly.
If even the System said so, then regardless of whether Jiang Qianyu’s actions were deliberate or unintentional, her feelings had indeed reached a point where they could easily be misunderstood.
But things had already come to this. Setting aside the System’s rule that a Task-Doer was forbidden from falling in love within a minor world, and even if her heart fluttered slightly at Jiang Qianyu’s breathtaking beauty, Song Xuyi was certain she did not harbor any romantic feelings toward her.
Perhaps Jiang Qianyu had simply interacted with too few people and had never met anyone of her type before, which was why she had developed this crush. Once they put some distance between themselves and Jiang Qianyu met more people, her feelings would likely cool down over time.
With this thought, Song Xuyi made up her mind.
Meanwhile, Jiang Qianyu, who was pretending to sleep in Song Xuyi’s arms, was feeling incredibly conflicted. She was terrified that Song Xuyi would discover her feelings, yet beneath that fear lay a flicker of anticipation. If Xuyi truly realized she loved her, how would Xuyi view her feelings? Would she accept her too…
About another hour passed, and the surroundings gradually grew quiet. The bonfire party finally dispersed.
Song Xuyi carried Jiang Qianyu toward their capsule dorm.
As she lifted Jiang Qianyu, Song Xuyi paused, a brief moment of daze washing over her: her physical strength seemed to have declined yet again recently.
In the past, carrying Jiang Qianyu on her back had not felt strenuous at all. Lately, however, Song Xuyi felt a distinct lack of stamina, and even when operating a mech, she found her energy flagging…
Was this a side effect of the drug Jiang Qianyu had injected into her?
In the plot outline, Jiang Qianyu’s drug was supposed to turn an Alpha completely into an Omega. Her own case, where she was only half-converted, did seem rather abnormal…
Song Xuyi decided to undergo a physical examination once she returned to Blue Star. Having lived on Blue Star for so long, it was about time she fully disclosed her Omega status to Blue Star. Besides, the Mech Academy had recently been researching mechs better suited for Omegas; perhaps she could participate in that research.
Song Xuyi carried Jiang Qianyu on her back to the capsule dorm. Over such a short distance, she had to stop and rest several times. Jiang Qianyu did not wake up once throughout the journey. Song Xuyi did not care to probe whether she was genuinely asleep or just pretending; she simply had no idea how to face her right now, so it was better if she remained asleep.
After placing Jiang Qianyu on the bed, Song Xuyi let out a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to lie down on the other bed, she inexplicably recalled the way Jiang Qianyu’s pheromones would spiral out of control at night. When her thoughts drifted to certain other implications…
Song Xuyi’s cheeks flushed. In the end, she quietly put on her jacket, shut the door behind her, and walked out, intending to spend the rest of the night with the students on watch…
Song Xuyi had no idea that almost the exact moment she shut the door, Jiang Qianyu opened her eyes.
She stared fixedly at the ceiling for a long time. Only after what seemed like an eternity did she curl her lips in an expressionless smile, murmuring softly, “It seems… I lost the bet.”
Starting the next day, Jiang Qianyu noticed that Song Xuyi began to distance herself.
Although Song Xuyi appeared perfectly normal when they spoke, she deliberately avoided any physical contact and refused to meet her gaze…
Jiang Qianyu understood the reason behind this shift in attitude, but on the surface, she acted as though she had not noticed the distance, treating Song Xuyi exactly as she always had.
Observing Jiang Qianyu’s behavior over the next few days, Song Xuyi even began to feel a bit bewildered. Perhaps she was just flatteringly assuming too much; maybe Jiang Qianyu was simply overly dependent on her and did not actually harbor those kinds of feelings…
However, Song Xuyi had very little time to spend with Jiang Qianyu anyway, as the combat training exercises against the Zerg had officially begun.
What made the Zerg so terrifying was not just their highly toxic, corrosive mucus, their massive sizes, or their hard, protective bodies. It was also that some possessed intelligence and the ability to shapeshift, allowing them to assume human form, infiltrate human settlements, and inflict devastating damage from within. For years, the Zerg had been a major threat looming over the hearts of everyone on the Imperial Star.
Since this was only a training exercise, tracking devices had been installed on every Zerg on the Insect Egg Planet to protect the soldiers. The sensors would sound an alarm whenever a beast came within a hundred meters of any soldier.
As if sensing their disadvantageous position, the Zerg began to utilize the terrain, scattering into small groups of twos and threes to hide.
Directly confronting the bloody and brutal reality of combat, especially after a few people were injured, everyone shed their initial curiosity and arrogance. They adjusted their mindsets and began fighting the Zerg in earnest.
The mech unit Song Xuyi belonged to was the backbone of the defensive line and accounted for the highest number of kills. Song Xuyi herself was the absolute best among the mech pilots, boasting the highest individual kill count across the entire force.
Although the combat was harsh, the humans clearly held the upper hand, and the injuries sustained were only minor. Consequently, the mood remained relatively light when they returned to the outpost each evening.
However, during dinner on the fifth day of the exercises, a sudden siren wailed through the outpost—
“Attention all personnel! Attention all personnel! After a headcount, it has been discovered that one shapeshifting Zerg is unaccounted for. It is suspected to have shed its tracking device and infiltrated our base…”
The shrill alarm blared three times, underscoring the severity of the situation.
In an instant, the relaxed atmosphere in the base evaporated. Everyone grew highly vigilant. The base was put under strict security; students and instructors slept with weapons in hand, and everyone began verifying identities using iris scans and pheromone scents, terrified that someone they knew well might suddenly turn out to be a Zerg…
For the first time, everyone truly grasped the brutal, unpredictable nature of the battlefield.
Song Xuyi, who had been making excuses to sleep inside her mech at night, was also forced back to her own dormitory capsule.
At first, Song Xuyi felt a bit awkward, but Jiang Qianyu acted completely calm and natural. When she did not smell any pheromones during the night either, Song Xuyi gradually relaxed.
Only the System knew that every night, after Song Xuyi drifted off to sleep, Jiang Qianyu would open her eyes and gaze toward her with an unreadable expression, her eyes filled with a deep, inexplicable complexity.
A few days passed, and with no sign of the missing Zerg, the base’s security gradually began to ease.
While in her dorm, Song Xuyi received a notification from one of her Beta instructors stating that her reward had been processed and she should retrieve it immediately.
Because Song Xuyi had slain so many Zerg and set a record, the military was awarding prizes to the top three students with the highest kill counts.
The instructors had mentioned this beforehand, so Song Xuyi did not suspect anything. She headed straight to the instructor’s quarters.
After Song Xuyi left, Jiang Qianyu went to the temporary medical clinic to check on the injured students. In truth, she did not care about the lives of others, but because Song Xuyi liked kind and bright people, Jiang Qianyu wore a mask, striving to align herself with that ideal.
But inside the medical tent, Jiang Qianyu spotted that very Beta instructor chatting warmly with the injured students…
Jiang Qianyu’s expression changed on the spot!
She instinctively reached for her light-brain to warn Song Xuyi, but if Song Xuyi checked her device, she might let her guard down and allow the Zerg to ambush her…
Gritting her teeth, Jiang Qianyu relayed the message to the academy’s leading officers. Immediately afterward, she injected herself with a vial of Alpha Enhancing Drug and dashed toward the Beta instructor’s quarters at an unprecedented, breakneck speed…
When Song Xuyi arrived, the Beta instructor was the only one in the room.
“Ah, you’re here,” the Beta instructor said with an incredibly warm smile. He bustled about, ushering Song Xuyi to a chair and pouring her a cup of tea. “Have some tea first. The other two should be here shortly…”
Song Xuyi took the cup and sat down, but she did not drink.
For some reason, an uneasy feeling crept into her heart. Her instructor… seemed rather odd.
“Why aren’t you drinking? It’s warm water, not too hot. Give it a taste. This is a rare, premium tea that just hit the market—it costs a fortune for just a fraction of an ounce. Hurry and drink it before the others arrive. I wouldn’t offer this to anyone else…” the Beta instructor urged.
Song Xuyi gripped the cup tighter.
This Beta instructor had a sick relative to care for at home and was always tight on money. Let alone expensive tea, he had to scrimp and save just for his daily meals. Furthermore, he was known for his absolute fairness and integrity, never showing favoritism to anyone…
Making a split-second decision, Song Xuyi threw the tea in her cup straight at the “Beta instructor.”
The liquid hit the floor with a sharp sizzle, corroding a large patch of the carpet.
“—Heh, as expected of the top ace of the mech squad,” the “Beta instructor” scoffed, dodging the splash as his voice grew progressively distorted. His muscles bulged and ripped through his clothes, transforming him in an instant into a massive green caterpillar. The beast spoke in a human voice, spitting a torrent of corrosive mucus at Song Xuyi. “I wanted to take down a few more, but it seems I’ll have to settle for just you…”
It really was a shapeshifted Zerg!
Having anticipated the attack, Song Xuyi rolled aside immediately to dodge the mucus. However, the Zerg had already locked the door when she entered. The cramped room offered very little space to maneuver, and with her current physical stamina, she was no match for this giant insect…
She could only do her best to dodge and buy time, hoping someone outside would notice the commotion. But the cunning Zerg clearly knew this as well, launching a relentless barrage of attacks against her…
The thrashing green insect exerted an overwhelming pressure. Everything in the instructor’s room was smashed to pieces. A metal plate ricocheted off the floor, striking Song Xuyi’s leg as she fled. Gasping from the sharp pain, her movements faltered. She heard the sound of the main door crashing down, but she had no time to look; the Zerg’s massive tail was already whipping straight toward her head—
Song Xuyi’s eyes widened in horror.
Suddenly, a fierce gust of wind swept past. Accompanied by a dull smack, Song Xuyi’s heart seemed to stop beating.
She saw a familiar face, as exquisitely beautiful as ever. Yet against her deathly pale skin, the small red mole at the corner of her eye shone as crimson as fresh blood.
Jiang Qianyu smiled at Song Xuyi, raising a hand to gently brush away the tears that had slipped from the corner of her eyes.
“—I’m just glad… you’re safe.”
Song Xuyi parted her lips, but no words came. In this fraction of a second, she found herself suddenly afraid to meet the star-bright, dazzling intensity of Jiang Qianyu’s gaze.
Song Xuyi did not even want to recall how Jiang Qianyu had ripped that Zerg in half.
The moment Jiang Qianyu slew the beast, she collapsed straight into Song Xuyi’s arms.
Jiang Qianyu had constantly experimented on her own body with all sorts of hazardous drugs in the past. Under the impact of the heavy blow, numerous hidden ailments flared up simultaneously. Having absorbed the full force of the Zerg’s strike to shield Song Xuyi, she had come perilously close to death.
By the time Jiang Qianyu finally regained consciousness, three days had passed.
“Don’t be so reckless in the future!”
Seeing Jiang Qianyu open her eyes, the heart hanging in Song Xuyi’s throat finally settled back into place. Over the last three days of nursing her, Song Xuyi had been plagued by constant guilt: if only she had brought her weapons when leaving the dorm, she would never have dragged Jiang Qianyu into this dangerous situation…
“I don’t consider it reckless,” Jiang Qianyu said, her lips curving slightly as she reached up to touch Song Xuyi’s face. “If I were given the choice again, I would still choose to save you.”
“Xuyi, you saved my life once before. This time, I’m simply returning the favor. You don’t need to feel so guilty.”
Song Xuyi’s first instinct was to turn her head away and avoid Jiang Qianyu’s touch. But remembering how the girl had thrown herself in front of her, she suppressed the urge.
“Xuyi, now that I’ve repaid that debt of a life, can you tell me… what kind of person do you like?” Jiang Qianyu murmured, her fingers gently tracing Song Xuyi’s brow.
Her voice was incredibly soft, as though she were merely asking an idle question. Had Song Xuyi not been sitting right beside the bed, she might not have heard it at all.
Yet, Song Xuyi knew she was entirely serious.
Song Xuyi froze, slightly caught off guard, yet it also felt as though she had expected this moment all along.
How should she respond?
Jiang Qianyu had essentially laid all her cards on the table.
Song Xuyi bit her lower lip, desperately searching for a reason that would be as gentle as possible. “Back when I was an Alpha, I liked Omegas who seemed delicate and lovely. You matched my preferences in every way, which was why I couldn’t control myself and nearly forced you. But now… I’ve become an Omega myself. Having experienced the hardships of being an Omega, I feel deep remorse, and I haven’t given any thought to what kind of person I might like. Right now, I only want to prove to the world that Omegas can also achieve great things. Aside from bearing and raising children, Omegas can also stand on the battlefield to defend our nation…”
So, it is not that you aren’t good enough, but rather that I currently have neither the time nor the capacity to love anyone.
Song Xuyi knew that Jiang Qianyu would understand the subtext of her words.
Sure enough, after staring at her with those dark eyes for a moment, Jiang Qianyu suddenly let out a soft laugh. “I’m very glad you’re willing to tell me these things…”
“But I don’t believe in your resolve,” Jiang Qianyu said, her smile fading as she locked eyes with Song Xuyi. “If there comes a day when you change back into an Alpha, it’s highly likely you’ll return to your old ways. Standing at the peak of the ruling class, possessing immense power, and accustomed to taking whatever you want, you won’t put yourself in an Omega’s shoes ever again…”
“Xuyi, can you make a promise to me?” Jiang Qianyu stared straight into her eyes. “Swear that no matter what you become in the future, you will remain as good as you are now, and that you’ll never go back to being the person you used to be…”
“I swear.” Though she had no idea why Jiang Qianyu felt so deeply insecure, Song Xuyi did not want to argue with someone who had only just woken from a life-threatening injury. Besides, she and the original host were entirely different people. She was the one in this body now, and time would eventually prove everything.
“I understand. As long as you don’t change, that’s enough,” Jiang Qianyu said, her lips curving back into a smile that seemed somewhat relieved. “Don’t worry. I’ll do my best to let go of my feelings for you…”
…
Song Xuyi had prepared a whole speech to console and guide Jiang Qianyu, and she had not expected her to move on so easily. She felt a bit surprised, but when she considered that a brilliant prodigy like Jiang Qianyu would never lack outstanding suitors at school, there was indeed no reason for her to hang herself from a crooked tree that had already rejected her. Thus, she believed her words.
Noticing that Song Xuyi had secretly let out a sigh of relief, Jiang Qianyu’s eyes darkened slightly, though her face remained smiling. She cooperatively underwent the doctor’s examinations, took her medicine, and then, seeing the dark circles under Song Xuyi’s eyes, did her best to urge her to get some rest on the companion bed nearby.
Song Xuyi had not closed her eyes for three days straight; the moment she lay down, she drifted off to sleep.
She had no way of knowing, however, the dark, intense gaze Jiang Qianyu directed at her face after she fell asleep.
Xuyi was like an extremely vigilant kitten. Having exposed her own vulnerability, if she tried to force her way closer, she would only end up pushing Xuyi further and further away.
Therefore, she had to retreat in order to advance, temporarily clouding Xuyi’s judgment and making her believe she was trying to let go.
But how could she ever let go of Xuyi? Jiang Qianyu possessed absolute clarity about her own nature: if she missed out on Xuyi, she would likely never find anyone she loved this much for the rest of her life!
In that recurring dream she had experienced since childhood, that foolish Zhao Qingyu had never dared to confess her love and ended up with a lifetime of regrets. But she was different.
Jiang Qianyu curled her lips. She had only said she would do her best; she had never promised she would actually let go…
She was acting with extreme caution now only because she was the one who had brought Xuyi to this state in the first place.
But… Xuyi had promised: even if she changed back into an Alpha, she would not return to her former self.
In that case, she would trust Xuyi just this once and place another bet!
Once she exacted her revenge and once the status of Omegas within the Empire began to rise, she would begin researching the Omega-to-Alpha Conversion Drug.
By then, Xuyi would have no remaining excuse to reject her!
And if the Alpha who marked her was Xuyi…
Jiang Qianyu bit her lower lip. As she recalled how she had intimately toyed with Xuyi’s gland over and over again, her throat tightened.
She was willing to be marked by her.
But even so…
Jiang Qianyu was confident: even if Xuyi marked her, the one on the bottom would absolutely not be her.
The author has something to say:
Tomorrow I’m going to get the HPV vaccine, so I’m going to bed early.
Ah, you cuties who can book the 9-valent vaccine should try to line up as early as possible. Don’t be like me, stubbornly holding out until past 26. I don’t know if the maternal and child health hospital tomorrow will have the 4-valent; if they don’t, I’ll just have to get the 2-valent. I don’t want to delay it any longer…
A quick preview: This small world will end either tomorrow or the day after at the latest!
Heeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheeheehee…
0 Comments