Until Qin Chuan was later appointed captain of the enforcement team, Zhou Haimei’s lingering resentment began to ease somewhat.
However, this did not mean she could peacefully coexist with the arrogant old guards above.
She was underestimated instinctively because she was a woman.
She was looked down upon instinctively because she was a woman.
They believed that because Zhou Haimei was a woman, she could not handle important responsibilities.
But they had forgotten that when protecting key personnel during the evacuation, it was Zhou Haimei who led a pure all-female squad of fifteen, fighting to their deaths.
It was only then that those people could safely board the lighthouse.
And her comrades, they had sacrificed themselves completely during that evacuation operation.
They had walked step by step to this day, treading on their bones and blood.
Yet, they were unwilling to even acknowledge their heroic fearlessness.
Zhou Haimei would remember until her death how her good sister, while protecting a box of important data, had her arm bitten off by a zombie, yet still managed to protect that box of data, delivering it to her.
That girl was also of flower-like age, and half of her face had already begun to rot.
She cried and begged Zhou Haimei.
Begging her to end her life personally.
She did not want to completely lose consciousness and turn into a monster.
Zhou Haimei couldn't recall how she pulled the trigger, but the grief it caused would be etched in her memory forever.
Yet now, Qin Chuan dared to ask her if she had forgotten her identity.
It was precisely because Xu An had not forgotten her identity that she could stand here and speak with Qin Chuan so calmly. If Zhou Haimei had even a shred of vengeful intent.
It was uncertain who would be standing here as the enforcement captain today.
“You are not qualified to say such things to me, Qin Chuan. Do you think you are so righteous?”
Qin Chuan was rendered speechless. “I just feel that your relationship has become a bit too close.”
Zhou Haimei now regretted even considering setting Qin Chuan and Xu An up earlier.
It seemed now that Qin Chuan's approach to Xu An was for some unknown reason.
Perhaps Xu An was right; she was simply blinded by love.
“I don’t think it’s your place to tell me who I can be friends with.”
Qin Chuan fell silent.
“If you have any matters, you can come to me. After all, this is still the lighthouse. You know I won’t refuse to help you. Your actions today were truly reckless. Did you not consider that if zombies came, you would endanger others’ lives as well as your own?” Xu An nodded. Qin Chuan still suspected that they were responsible for the zombies.
“All of this is just your speculation. You can say whatever you want about things that have no evidence.”
The previous suspicions resurfaced faintly in her heart.
The previous Xu An was not certain that the person who fired a shot to help Sun Er from the shadows was Qin Chuan. She instinctively denied it, believing Qin Chuan would not do such a thing.
But when Qin Chuan began to suspect her.
She suddenly wondered, what if the person who fired the shot was indeed Qin Chuan?
That was why he knew so much about the convenience store incident and why he was linking the zombie situation to them.
Then, why kill Sun Er now?
Was it because Sun Er was no longer useful?
Or perhaps, Qin Chuan had discovered someone new, more valuable, and exploitable.
Xu An looked at Qin Chuan with these questions, and the more she looked, the more Qin Chuan’s face seemed like a mask, where one could never know what thoughts were hidden beneath it.
Qin Chuan, however, was unaware that Xu An had begun to suspect him.
“I don’t want to test you here, but if you really have something that attracts zombies, I hope you can hand it over. This will make our zombie clearing work more convenient and effective.”
“I think you know what I mean, and I’m not trying to blame you. I just think this item is very dangerous and not safe with you. If it falls into the wrong hands, it might threaten not just the entire lighthouse, but all of humanity.”
Qin Chuan spoke eloquently, but Xu An and Zhou Haimei didn’t absorb much of it.
Originally, even if Qin Chuan hadn’t said anything, Xu An was planning to find an opportunity to give the potion to Qin Chuan, as it was originally something that Yueyue’s father had asked her to pass on to the military.
But after experiencing so much, Xu An knew that the people behind Qin Chuan were not entirely trustworthy. Especially Qin Chuan’s unusually abnormal behavior today.
It only made Xu An more suspicious.
She did not hide anything and decided to be upfront.
“The zombies were indeed brought here by us.”
“We have a special potion whose scent attracts zombies. We can give it to you, but you must ensure that this item will be destroyed along with the zombies in the end.”
Xu An’s words were also very direct.
Wasn’t the zombie virus in Area B initially under the guise of researching antibodies, which eventually escalated to this point?
This potion had a fatal attraction to zombies. Who knew if it would eventually become another means to control or cause zombies to go berserk?
Qin Chuan also understood why Xu An said this.
In winter, even the sunlight carried a hint of coldness, devoid of any warmth or gentleness.
Qin Chuan’s fingers, hidden in his sleeve, were frozen red. He suddenly felt tired.
He was tired from being misunderstood, or perhaps tired from the endless scheming of this apocalypse.
Qin Chuan stood up, brushed the dust off his back, and offered no explanation for the suspicion in Xu An’s eyes.
“As long as I am here, that thing will not be used improperly. You can trust me on this.”
His words were solemn. Half of his face was hidden in shadow, and Xu An could not see his expression, but she saw a hint of desolation in his profile.
“Alright, I believe you.”
It was like a silent vow, circulating between the two of them.
At this moment, it seemed as if the suspicions and doubts between them had been bridged, bound together by an invisible rope.
Under Zhou Haimei’s gaze, Xu An handed the bottle of potion she was holding to Qin Chuan.
She also carefully explained the detailed usage of the potion to Qin Chuan.
At that time, Xu An did not understand what she was handing over. She just instinctively retained some trust in the man before her.
Only later did Xu An regret her actions today, wondering why she was still so easily trusting others.
Qin Chuan took the potion and was also surprised after hearing Xu An’s explanation.
Living people and decaying flesh would attract zombies, as would some blood.
However, those attractions had certain range limitations.
But this potion seemed to break through that limitation. Even zombies a kilometer away, upon smelling this scent, would rush over as if driven mad.
Not only that, but it also stimulated the zombies’ berserk attribute, and after going into a frenzy, they would enter a brief period of weakness.