I Conquered the Villain Boss Chapter 22
Translated by Digitalian (ko-fi)
Chapter 22: Inseparable
The first people whom Jiang Ran met after going out were Gu Yunqing and Song Rong. They were talking in the corridor.
“Captain Gu, Vice-Captain Song.” Jiang Ran walked up to the two of them and took out two candies from the pack. “Here’s a candy treat from me.”
“Wow.” Gu Yunqing took one without refusing. “Did Si Xu give them to you?”
“Yeah.” Jiang Ran was worried that they would misunderstand that Si Xu had “embezzled public funds,” so she quickly explained, “It's my reward for discovering the mutant chameleon.”
“Haha, you deserve to be rewarded.” After hearing about the whole incident from Song Rong, Gu Yunqing smiled. “Si Xu has never rewarded people before. You’re the first person to get a reward from him. Are you happy?”
The first person? Jiang Ran blushed slightly and nodded frankly in the face of Gu Yunqing's teasing. “Yeah, I’m happy.”
Jiang Ran admitted it without hesitation. Looking at the girl's smiling eyes, Gu Yunqing suddenly understood partially the reason why Si Xu fancied her at first glance.
“Vice-Captain Song, don't you want it?” Song Rong didn't move and Jiang Ran handed the candy to him. “Don’t you like milk candies?”
It wasn’t that he didn't like milk candies. He was just worried. If he took the milk candy now, would Professor Si break his arm later? After all, it was a milk candy given by his woman.
He really wanted to say no firmly, but... well, he could smell the aroma of milk through the wrapper –– in this world, only a perverse superhuman with space-type abilities like Professor Si would carry this kind of snack with him.
It had been a long time since he tasted a White Rabbit milk candy.
“Just take it.” When Gu Yunqing saw his subordinate’s hesitation, he laughed and patted his shoulder. “Even a girl has more guts than you.”
Being ridiculed by his captain and in front of a pretty girl at that, Song Rong grimaced. “Captain, I...”
“Here, don't stand on ceremony with me.” With a firm attitude, Jiang Ran stuffed the milk candy into Song Rong's hand. Then, she waved goodbye to them. “I’m going to share them with the others.”
One pack of candies was probably not enough to be distributed to everyone. Jiang Ran decided to distribute them to Captain Gu’s team members first and then see if there was any excess –– after all, she would be spending a long time with Gu Yunqing's team for the rest of the journey.
Nothing would go wrong with building good relationships.
After the pack of candies was distributed, there were only three candies left. Jiang Ran found a trash can on the side of the road and threw away the packaging before walking back with the three candies in her hand.
She saw a few girls coming out of the villa from a distance. They seemed to be going for a patrol.
Jiang Ran hesitated for a moment before calling out to one of them. “Yi Xi.”
The girls stopped at the same time and looked at Jiang Ran.
“Hey, isn't this Ranran?” Zhou Jian said in a sarcastic tone, “You’re living a comfortable life now, since you found a good backer like Professor Si.”
Apparently, this group of people had already understood Si Xu's strength and status in the team.
Ignoring Zhou Jian's cynicism, Jiang Ran glanced at her. “I didn't call you. Why did you stop and respond so eagerly?”
“You!”
“Zhouzhou, say no more.” Holding her friend's hand, Luo Rui said expressionlessly, “Let's continue to patrol. Let the two of them talk.”
Luo Rui left with Zhou Jian.
It wasn't until the two left that Yi Xi asked coldly, “Why did you call me?”
“Here's something for you.” Jiang Ran didn't beat around the bush. “Here, it’s for you.”
The milk candy wrapped in familiar packaging was handed to Yi Xi and a hint of surprise appeared in Yi Xi's eyes. “Where did you... get this from?”
“Si Xu gave it to me.” Seeing the surprise in the girl's eyes, Jiang Ran added slowly, “It’s a reward.”
“A reward?”
“Yes. I discovered that chameleon and he gave me a reward.” When Jiang Ran saw that Yi Xi didn't move, she took Yi Xi’s hand and stuffed the candy into her hand. “Here.”
Gripping the milk candy, Yi Xi asked shyly, “Why did you give it to me?”
“You defended me that day.” Jiang Ran said, “This is a gift in return.”
Yi Xi was stunned for a moment before she sneered. “I didn't defend you that day. I just couldn't stand Luo Rui's hypocrisy.”
“It remains a fact that you defended me.” Jiang Ran said with a smile, “Anyway, this milk candy is an extra, so you don't have to feel indebted.”
After the girl finished talking, she walked around Yi Xi and into the villa.
Yi Xi lowered her head and stared at the milk candy in her hand for a moment. Her sneer became a bit bitter — all your emotions were written on your face and you liked to repay people’s favors tenfold. That was why you lost to Luo Lui, you fool.
……
After catching up with Luo Rui and Zhou Jian who hadn't gone far, Yi Xi tore off the wrapper, bit the milk candy, and started patrolling with the two.
“Yi Xi!” Zhou Jian widened her eyes when she caught a whiff of the aroma. “Where did you get that White Rabbit milk candy?”
Yi Xi replied expressionlessly, “Jiang Ranran gave it to me.”
“Jiang Ranran?” Zhou Jian blurted out, “How could she possibly have... oh.” The girl curled her lips in disgust. “It must have been a reward from Professor Si for her services. Hah, how shameless of her to have flaunted the milk candies everywhere.”
“What's so shameless about it?” Yi Xi sneered and retorted, “Even if it was really a reward from Si Xu, at least he was willing to give her the reward — in the case of some people, they would be snubbed even if they threw themselves at the guy.”
“Yi Xi, what do you mean by that?” Zhou Jian was never a person who could hide her thoughts. When she heard that, she pulled a long face on the spot. “Are you referring to me?”
“I didn't say anyone’s name. You don’t have to take it personally.”
“Take it personally? Hah, Yi Xi, I didn't expect you to be bribed by Jiang Ranran with just a candy.”
“Bribed?”
“Otherwise, why do you keep defending her?”
“I'm not defending her. I'm just...” Glancing at the silent Luo Rui, Yi Xi sneered. “I merely dislike angelic bitches more than naive girls like Jiang Ranran.”
“Who are you implying? You, you...”
“Cut it out!” Despite being scolded directly, Luo Rui just smiled faintly. “Yi Xi, I think you’re a little mistaken about me.”
“Mistaken?” Yi Xi shook her head, "That day, I heard you talking to Jiang Ranran with my own ears. You asked her to lure away that group of zombies. Why did you say that Jiang Ranran lost her way and subsequently fell into the lake in front of everyone?”
Luo Rui remained calm after being questioned. “You misheard it.”
Without waiting for Yi Xi to speak again, Luo Rui said, “It's patrolling time now. I don't want to quarrel with you –– after dinner tonight, come to my room to find me. I’ll explain to you.”
After Luo Rui finished saying that, she ignored Yi Xi and pulled Zhou Jian away to continue with the patrolling.
Yi Xi didn't reject Luo Lui. She would like to know what kind of explanation Luo Rui would give.
……
After distributing the candies, Jiang Ran returned to her room and stuffed the last two milk candies into the pocket of her down jacket.
Si Xu had chosen the innermost room in the corridor. From the balcony, she could see the surrounding situation.
Propping her head on the balcony to watch the members of the superhuman team set up prevention and control devices around the villa, Jiang Ran guessed that they would probably be staying here for a while this time.
Wuzhong City was a provincial capital city. It would take more than a day or two to collect the supplies from the entire city.
Jiang Ran was idling about when she saw Si Xu walking over from a distance. He had probably finished his patrolling.
Jiang Ran raised her hand and waved, wanting to say hello to him. Before she could say anything, her view was blocked by a figure rushing up to Si Xu.
Zhou Jian? Why did she look for Si Xu?
At a time like this, Jiang Ran wished that she could have exceptional hearing. However... before she could even hesitate whether she should go downstairs, she saw Si Xu walking around Zhou Jian who was still talking. He walked beyond the prevention and control net expressionlessly.
He looked up at the girl on the balcony and raised his voice. “Gu Yunqing and I are going to the city. Do you want to come along?”
“Huh?” Go to the city at this hour? Putting aside her thoughts on what Zhou Jian said, Jiang Ran hurriedly replied, “Yes, I do!”
There was no place safer than being by Si Xu's side.
After Jiang Ran answered Si Xu, she turned around and ran downstairs, for fear that he would leave her here alone.
Fortunately, when she reached downstairs, Si Xu was still waiting there.
“Si Xu.” She stopped in front of him, panting, and asked intermittently, “It's already dark. Why are you entering the city at this hour?”
“To check the situation.” Si Xu said, “If no mutant is found, our team can split up and get down to work tomorrow.”
Oh. Jiang Ran understood.
In other words, if a powerful mutant was found downtown today, he and Gu Yunqing could kill it first.
At the thought of that, Jiang Ran hesitated immediately. “Will it cause you trouble by taking me along?”
“No.” Si Xu glanced at Zhou Jian who was walking slowly toward them, and said calmly, “Leaving you here will cause trouble instead.”
“...”
So, what did Zhou Jian tell Si Xu? Jiang Ran gave Zhou Jian a fierce look and pulled Si Xu to the side.
Gu Yunqing drove out, saw Jiang Ran, and couldn't help teasing Si Xu, “You gotta be kidding, Si Xu. Do you have to bring Sister Ranran along with you? You’re really inseparable!”
Si Xu was expressionless. “Yeah.”
Gu Yunqing was rendered speechless by his calm and unaffected reply.
The corner of the man's mouth twitched twice and he propped his head on the steering wheel silently.
Ignoring his friend who was deeply hurt, Si Xu opened the car door to let Jiang Ran get in. Then, he said to her, “Fasten your seat belt.”
“Oh, okay.” Jiang Ran hurriedly pulled on the seat belt and buckled it on.
Si Xu closed the car door, walked around to the passenger seat, opened the car door, and got in the car.
“Let's go.” Gu Yunqing started the car and drove along the road to the city.
Without their team curbing their progress, the two entered the city in a simple and direct way — when they encountered zombies blocking the road, they would run over them directly. Those zombies that could not be crushed would have their heads cut off.
The further they went downtown, the more obstacles there were on the road. In the end, they were blocked by abandoned cars, making it difficult for them to proceed.
“We have to stop here.” Gu Yunqing straightened up, looked at the situation in front of him, and sighed, “I hate to do physical work.”
“No need.” Si Xu opened the car door and got out of the car. “I’ll clear this road tomorrow.”
This is the fastest way to the temporary base. It would facilitate things if it was cleared.
Gu Yunqing clasped his hands together and bowed. “Boss, I'll count on you tomorrow.”
Si Xu ignored him. He raised his hand and tapped on the glass window of the back car door. “Jiang Ran, get out of the car.”
Jiang Ran, who was looking around nervously, unfastened her seat belt and hopped out of the car.
Si Xu pulled her to his side and glanced at his watch. “It's 6.18pm now. We'll search separately and meet here at 7.30pm.”
“Okay.” Being used to this mode for a long time, Gu Yunqing parked the car on the side of the road, checked the surrounding situation, and said, “Shall I go to the north district?”
“Yeah.” Si Xu said, “Don't act tough when you encounter trouble.”
“I know.” Gu Yunqing made an okay gesture. “You should also be careful.”
They parked the car here. How were they planning to search? Were they going to search the entire city just by themselves?
Jiang Ran was still wondering about that when she saw that there seemed to be an air current flowing under Gu Yunqing's feet. In the blink of an eye, the young man had already soared into the sky, crossed the tall building in front of him, and disappeared into the night.
“Oh.” Was this... the kind of qinggong that only existed in martial arts novels?
(Note: Qinggong is a technique in Chinese martial arts that focuses on agility and swiftness)
Si Xu heard the girl's surprised exclamation and led her in the opposite direction.
“Gu Yunqing is a superhuman with wind-type abilities. In the situation just now, he used the air current to propel his body to move.”
Jiang Ran nodded in partial understanding, feeling envious.
If only she could also awaken a superpower. She could protect herself without being at the mercy of other people then... Only the strong had the right to speak.