Que Tang watched as the male lead went flying directly back into the safe zone. She turned around. 「Sister, make the zombies retreat. These people aren't good, but they aren't worth getting your hands dirty over.」 The mere thought of a real-life *Plants vs. Zombies* scene made her head throb with exasperation.
"If the zombie tide retreats, will you go back?" Que Lan cleared the area around them, but the number of zombies circling the perimeter was twice as high as anywhere else. She had done this specifically to prevent any nuisances like Ouyang Aotian from barging in and interrupting them.
Even though her sister had chosen to protect her and stand by her side in this life, if she returned to the safe zone, wouldn't Que Lan be left with nothing again? What was the point of living then? Perhaps... she should just turn her sister into a zombie. That way, her sister would stay by her side forever and never leave her.
"Meow~ The female lead's insanity value is at maximum. Insanity Mode: Max."
*Is it fun for this thing to keep jumping up and down? And why did such a heartwarming sentence from me make her turn dark again? What on earth is she imagining!*
「No. I won't go back. I will stay by your side, Sister.」
"...Forever?"
「Yes. So, Sister, hurry and make the zombie tide retreat. When dawn breaks, we’ll leave this place and head to C-City.」
"Why go to C-City? If there are Peashooters there too, and my identity is exposed again..." She looked at her sister with a wounded expression.
「Sister, do you remember that old man I saved before? He told me they’ve already developed a cure for S87.」
Que Lan bit her lip. "But if it doesn't work..."
「Sister, don't worry. Even if that old man lied to me and the medicine fails, I will always stay with you. I just don't want to see you living in fear anymore.」
"Meow~ 'Save the Female Lead' mission activated. Successfully transforming the female lead from a zombie back into a human will grant 5,000 points."
*I’ve never thought your notification sound was so pleasant until now.*
"Meow~ I am the number one beauty of the cat world, after all. Hmph. Host, please continue to cultivate your relationship with the female lead. Completing the 'Sisters are Okay Too' sub-plot will grant 10,000 points."
*...Just get lost.*
"Meow~"
Que Lan looked at her sister with deep emotion. she reached out, pulled her into a tight embrace, and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead. Seeing her sister’s face flush crimson, she smiled and kissed the tip of her nose, then her lips.
Que Tang was so startled she immediately pushed her away. 「Si... Sister, what are you doing? That was my first kiss!」
"First kiss?" Que Lan tilted her head. "But you used to love it when I kissed you like this. You’d often pounce on me, begging for kisses and hugs."
「Th-That’s impossible! Don't lie to me!」 *Is this what 'Insanity Mode: Max' looks like?! Is it right to tease an innocent girl like this? This is too insane!* Que Tang felt like she was on the verge of a breakdown.
Que Lan neither admitted nor denied it, simply changing the subject. "If we’re really leaving, I don't suggest we go at dawn. The roads are crawling with the military and zombies right now; we’d be too conspicuous."
「True... so what’s your plan, Sister?」
"We’ll find a clean house to stay in for a few days. Once this base settles down, we’ll leave quietly."
Que Tang nodded thoughtfully. 「Alright. Also, Sister... can you change your clothes? I think you look so cool in a shirt and a trench coat. Not that you don't look good now, but I liked your previous style...」
The female lead arched an eyebrow. "Tangtang, don't you know? I only wore that because you liked it. But don't you think I look quite good like this, too?" She leaned forward slightly, emphasizing her deep V-neck.
Que Tang’s face turned beet red instantly. She pulled a new overcoat out of her storage ring and threw it at her sister's face.
She was powerless against this level of insanity.
The two sisters began a post-apocalyptic "farming life" on the outskirts of the B-City safe zone. They had originally planned to stay for only a few days, but Que Lan, suffering from a bout of procrastination, kept delaying their departure until Que Tang couldn't take it anymore.
「Sister, we must leave for C-City immediately! No more delays! I slipped into the safe zone today and heard that Ouyang Aotian has been invited to C-City to discuss the joint development of the two cities,」 Que Tang said righteously.
Heaven knew how much her heart had been racing lately. Not only did the female lead refuse to wear clothes to bed, but she also forced Que Tang to do the same. Then there was the constant hugging, cuddling, and kissing—with tongue! She could accept sisterly kisses, but this was...
If this continued, she feared her virtue wouldn't survive. The female lead was far too insane!
Even though the male lead of this world was a scumbag, maybe there were good men elsewhere to achieve a BG (Boy/Girl) ending. Just like the previous two missions where she perfectly paired the female lead with the male lead, she was sure she could do it in this world too.
Que Lan sat by the window, resting her cheek on her hand as she watched her sister with intense focus. She had deliberately left the top two buttons of her shirt undone, and her legs, unencumbered by her narrow skirt, were perfectly displayed before Que Tang’s eyes.
*How can the female lead foul like this with seduction!* Que Tang felt like she was about to fall in love.
「Sister, are you even listening to me?」
"Tangtang, come here." The female lead hooked her index finger.
「W-What is it, Sister?」 Que Tang stopped in her tracks, subconsciously swallowing hard.
"This trip to C-City won't be as safe as it is here. It might even be very dangerous... so I want to have a good talk with you and clear things up."
Hearing this, Que Tang walked over without any suspicion. But as soon as she got close, Que Lan swiftly pulled her down to sit on her lap.
「Sister!」 *Tricked again!* Que Tang felt like coughing up blood.
"Tangtang, it's been so long, why are you still so silly?" She tilted her sister's face up and kissed her.
Que Tang didn't even want to struggle anymore; her struggles never succeeded anyway. Usually, the female lead would let go once she’d had her fill. But she had underestimated today’s boundaries. It wasn't until her shirt was pulled up and the female lead’s palm—colder than a normal person's because she was a zombie—touched the skin beneath that she snapped to her senses and began to struggle.
*H-How can you touch me there!* She protested with her eyes. If she could scream, she would have. This feeling of having so much to say but being unable to speak made Que Tang want to choke.
But Que Lan followed her own whims, completely ignoring her sister's gaze. It wasn't until Que Tang was flushed and slumped weakly in her arms that she smiled and let go. "Alright, we can go now."
To avoid running into people, they decided to leave B-City under the cover of night. Que Tang still had plenty of gasoline in her storage ring, and she had prepared a car long ago for this day. With Que Lan, who didn't need rest, acting as the driver, they reached C-City before sunset the next day.
It had been over two months since the apocalypse began. Many safe zones like B-City were already well-established, so the long queues they had seen before had thinned out. They registered with fake names and identities and successfully entered C-City.
「Sister, I just asked around. They don't know about any research institute, but if it's that old man... he lives in that house.」 Que Tang pointed toward the Chief’s Mansion at the end of C-City’s main road.
"It seems the person you saved is quite important." Que Lan held her sister's hand, the two of them disguised as ordinary citizens out for supplies. "If that's the case, the situation is more complicated than we anticipated."
「What’s more troublesome is that Ouyang Aotian is here right now, meeting with that old man. If he reveals our identities, we’ll never get the medicine.」
Que Lan pulled her into a reassuring embrace. "It's fine, Tangtang. Even if we don't get the medicine, having you by my side is enough." Over these past few days, she had realized that her sister now belonged entirely to her and would never leave. So what if she was a zombie? If her identity and power as a zombie allowed her to better protect Que Tang in this wasteland, she didn't mind remaining one.
「Absolutely not, Sister. How about this: we’ll sneak in tonight to scout the situation.」 They had come all this way, and a mission that could have ended long ago was dragged out because of some "must-complete" medicine sub-plot, which had resulted in her being "harassed" by the female lead so many times! If she didn't get those 5,000 points for turning the female lead back into a human, she would surely die of frustration.
Que Lan nodded indulgently. Whatever her sister wanted to do, she would accompany her.
Because C-City had been the seat of important government organs before the apocalypse, its resources and infrastructure were much better than the temporary gathering site of B-City. They even had electricity and internet.
Que Tang sat in a hidden spot outside the Chief’s Mansion, using a laptop she’d traded two bags of rice for. She connected to the internal network using the Little Mushroom’s "cheat" plugin to find the floor plan of the Chief’s office. She cut the power just before being detected, stowed the computer in her storage ring, and slipped inside with her sister.
Que Tang’s intention was that even if the old man—the self-proclaimed WHO researcher—didn't keep the medicine in his office, there might be clues. However, after searching the office for a long time, they found nothing. Just as she was about to ask her sister what to do, Que Lan suddenly pulled her under the desk to hide.
A second later, the office door opened.
"As expected of Chief Yan. To be able to rebuild C-City to this scale in just a few months after the S87 outbreak... our safe zone has much to learn from you."
Yan Jiuyuan had his bodyguards wait outside. "Mr. Ouyang is also quite remarkable. You managed to save a place that the military had abandoned. If not for your courage and wisdom, we would have lost even more citizens to the infection. This is why I am only willing to cooperate with you. I believe only someone like you can truly make good use of the medicine." After closing the door, he walked to the desk, picked up the phone, quickly pressed a few buttons, and hung up.
Suddenly, the wall behind the desk slid open, revealing a passage.
"Come, the results are inside. This is the fruit of all our researchers' hard work. Based on zombie trials, there is at least a forty percent recovery rate."
Once the two of them walked inside, the wall returned to its original position.
Que Lan and Que Tang emerged from under the desk. Anxiety was written all over Que Tang’s face. The key to finishing the mission was right in front of her, yet she couldn't go in, and she couldn't just punch her way through.
"Tangtang, don't worry. Watch me." Que Lan picked up the phone, quickly dialed a sequence, and hung up. The wall opened once more.
"I didn't tell you, did I? Since becoming a zombie, my other senses have become much sharper, even if I've lost my sense of taste. I heard the tones from the receiver just now." Enjoying her sister’s surprised and admiring gaze, Que Lan led Que Tang into the passage.
Perhaps to welcome Ouyang Aotian and to keep the researchers out of sight, there was no one in the massive laboratory behind the office. Still, Que Tang cautiously held her iron rod, walking ahead of Que Lan. They followed the passage to the end, where it split into left and right paths.
Que Tang sniffed the air and pointed left. They continued that way. Before long, they saw an open laboratory door and heard voices coming from within.
"Currently, we only have this one vial of the finished product. The rest have been sent to the testing center," Yan Jiuyuan’s voice said.
"Chief Yan, why don't we discuss the fundamental issue first? Although your reasons sound noble, you haven't mentioned your actual demands. To be honest, I may have led B-City to create a new safe base, but I don't think I have that much capital. Let’s be open. What exactly do you want from B-City?"
Yan Jiuyuan laughed. "Excellent. I like smart young men like you. You have a future. You’re right; those things don't interest me. I heard your base produced an intelligent female zombie. This is the first time I’ve heard of an infected person retaining intelligence. Our institute is very interested in her. Additionally, her sister is also quite interesting. As long as you hand them both over, I will cooperate with you immediately. I’ll send all our technical staff to B-City to help you, and of course, I’ll give you the formula for the medicine."
"What? You want her and Que Tang?" Ouyang Aotian was shocked.
Que Tang silently reached out and squeezed Que Lan’s hand.
"Correct. You should know that this formula doesn't just treat S87. According to our human research, it can cure all currently known diseases. That’s why so many people are fighting for it. Are you still unwilling?"
"It’s not a matter of whether I’m willing. The two of them disappeared a month ago," Ouyang Aotian frowned.
Yan Jiuyuan laughed again. "I know that, of course. I even know that these two sisters have already infiltrated the Chief’s Mansion with the goal of finding this special medicine. Isn't that right, Que Tang, Que Lan?"
"Wh-What? They’re here?" Ouyang Aotian, whose broken bones from a month ago had only just healed, felt a surge of fear at the mention of those two.
"How did you know we were following you?" Que Lan pulled her sister out to face them.
"Because that door has sensors. If anyone other than me passes through, it triggers an alert." Yan Jiuyuan looked at them with a smile. "So, how about it? Why not join my side?"
Que Lan returned the smile. "Impossible." She and Que Tang moved simultaneously, subduing the two men from either side.
"This is useless. I’ve already pressed the alarm, and this place is under total lockdown. The glass on these walls is specially reinforced bulletproof glass; it’s impossible to break. All exits have been disabled except for the door you came through, and many special forces are entering through there right now. You should stop struggling. I can offer you high-paying positions."
"Talkative." Que Lan knocked them both unconscious and tossed them outside the lab door.
"Sister, is this the medicine?" She frowned at a triangular flask containing a blue liquid on a shelf.
「Sister, hurry and drink it.」 Que Tang couldn't wait to hear the notification for the 5,000 points.
"No, Tangtang, you drink it. Didn't he say it cures all diseases? That means you’ll be able to speak again."
Disciplined footsteps and warnings echoed from outside the door.
「Sister, don't argue with me. It doesn't matter if I can speak, but you can return to being human.」 Que Tang reached out, grabbed the flask, and shoved it into Que Lan’s hand. 「Sister, drink it quickly. I’ll go outside and hold them off for a while.」 Without waiting for her sister to stop her, she rushed out and blocked the door.
Que Tang raised her rod, expecting to see a dozen guns pointed at her, but instead...
A group of fully armed men in black masks were holding... pots of Peashooters aimed at the door...
「...」 Que Tang felt embarrassed for them just looking at it.
Apparently not expecting a normal human to come out, the plants didn't react. The special forces team froze for two seconds before hurriedly pulling weapons from their waists to aim at Que Tang.
Que Tang charged forward with her iron rod.
Inside the room, Que Lan hesitated, until she heard a burst of gunfire from outside. "Tang... Tangtang..." The medicine flask slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor. "Tangtang!"
She rushed out, only to see Que Tang lying in a pool of blood. She collapsed in agony, pulling her sister into her arms.
Seeing this, the special forces team cautiously began to close their circle. Just as they were about to reach them, the glass windows behind them suddenly shattered, and the laboratory was instantly flooded with zombies. Screams erupted from every corner.
"I... want all of you to be buried with my sister." As soon as Que Lan forced those words out, she collapsed under the barrage of Peashooter attacks. Deprived of her command, the zombies began to frantically attack every living person in sight.
"Meow. Congratulations to the Host for completing the hidden ending: 'Out of ten men, seven are fools, eight are dimwitted, and nine are evil; only a sister is reliable.' You have earned an additional 1,000 points. The third soul fragment has been obtained. Initiating the first stage of fusion."
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 严究原 | Yan Jiuyuan | The researcher and Chief of C-City. |
| C市 | C-City | A major city and safe zone in the story. |
| 首长府 | Chief's Mansion | The headquarters/residence of the leader of C-City. |
| 特效药 | Special Medicine / Cure | The developed treatment for the S87 virus. |
| 隐藏结局 | Hidden Ending | A secret conclusion to the mission. |
| 灵魂碎片 | Soul Fragment | Items collected by the protagonist across different worlds. |
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Transmigrated as the Mary Sue: The Villainess's Revenge System | Chapter 21 | The Price of Devotion | Novela.app | Novela.app
