Du Jian's sudden disappearance from the military base was brought to the base leader by Lu Ming. The middle aged man only scratched his beard and dismissed Lu Ming. Although it was quite a loss to lose such a good researcher, it wouldn't cause any major damage to the base. There were other researchers after all.

Lu Ming left the base leader's office feeling quite down. He regretted putting his hope on Du Jian. If he'd known that Du Ling would turn out to be the true hope of humanity instead, he would've ditched Du Jian a long time ago.

With Du Jian suddenly out of the base, people did not treat him with the same deference as they did before and a few of the Nova team members were beginning to question his ability as squad leader.

Even if he did his best for the team, the rumours of how him and Du Jian used to make the people they hated disappear or turn into zombies were still circulating around the base so they wanted to remove him from power to 'reassure' the people.

Lu Ming's legs automatically carried him over to He Yuan's new residence. There were guards patrolling the area but he didn't let that stop him this time. He'd come here enough times to know their patrol routine so at the point where one team intercepted the other, he managed to sneak into the building.

Lu Ming walked up the stairs until he made his way to the foyer where He Yuan was immersed in a discussion with Feng Huang. Xiao Yu was also present and was laying on his stomach on the sofa and forming different shapes with his water ability.

Lu Ming grit his teeth at the sight of Xiao Yu. This was another sticky person that he needed to peel off his Du Ling but he would handle this one later. Du Ling did not give the young man any peculiar interest after all, the main competition was Ren.

He Yuan looked at the report in his hands as he conversed with Feng Huang. Du Jian had suddenly disappeared from the base and when he sent his scout of new humans after the man, they lost him.

It was as if the man just disappeared off the face of the realm. He'd just finished stacking the papers properly when Lu Ming suddenly walked into the foyer.

He Yuan raised a brow. He couldn't always activate his ability as it would lead to a nasty headache so even if he could feel when someone entered the building, he had no idea it was Lu Ming.

The man had managed to get past the squads of fighters the base leader had insisted to guard his residence. For his 'safety.' It was quite funny how the old man was thinking that this meagre amount of men were enough to keep him in this base. If only he knew.

The only reason he remained in the military base up till now was because of his target, Du Jian. But now that Du Jian was gone, there was nothing keeping him here.

He Yuan raised his head and locked eyes with Lu Ming, causing the man's breath to hitch in his throat. "Get out."

Lu Ming's eyes reddened and his fists shook at his sides. "Brother Ling, won't you at least hear me out first?

Feng Huang took the hint and made himself scarce but Xiao Yu adjusted into a more comfortable position on the sofa and stared straight at Lu Ming. He was not going anywhere. He didn't need to be in squad leader Ling's mind to know that the man disdained Lu Ming.

Besides he, Xiao Yu, was such a nosy person, how could he let such a chance to listen to gossip straight from the source pass him by?

Lu Ming glared at Xiao Yu but he had no choice. He looked back to He Yuan with tears forming in his eyes and started speaking as fast as he could before He Yuan could say anything. "The truth is that I didn't mean to abandon you that day. You couldn't see it but Du Jian had picked up a gun from the vehicle and pointed it to my head.

-If I didn't drive the car, he was going to kill me too. With the both of us dead, who was going to get justice for us? That was why I drove away and started dating him, hoping for a chance to avenge you.

-When you first showed up at the base, my first instinct had been to run over to you. Because-" Lu Ming began to furiously wipe at his tears, his voice sounding broken. "-God, I missed you so much. So, so much~ But I couldn't. I didn't want Du Jian to harm you so I remained with him, trying my best to distract him from you and uncover his plans.

-P-please you have to b-believe me brother L-Ling. I l-love you so much. I always did."

He Yuan kept his eyes on Lu Ming as the man balled his eyes out -shivering and trembling for extra effect. It was most certainly true that there was a possibility that Du Jian had managed to point a gun at Lu Ming's head. After all, from the angle Du Jian had been standing, Du Ling couldn't see half of his body.

If he was Du Ling, he might have hesitated a tiny bit at the confession but the problem here was that he was He Yuan and he'd received the storyline from a third person's perspective so he knew that Du Jian absolutely did not point a gun at Lu Ming's head.

Every word that just jumped out of Lu Ming's wretched mouth was absolute horse shit.

Xiao Yu's eyes softened a bit at Lu Ming's display. Could the man be telling the truth? Could he have been misunderstood?

A humourless smile tugged on He Yuan's lips. "What's your explanation for the set up that got me infected then?"

Xiao Yu's eyes widened and he narrowed a glare on Lu Ming. Squad leader Ling's infection had been a trap set by Lu Ming? He could not believe he almost felt sympathetic for the vermin!historical

Lu Ming hiccupped slowly. "I also caught onto Du Jian's plan late. When I realized and tried to tell you, you were doing everything you could to avoid me. Even in the truck, I tried to get you to leave the family alone but you wouldn't listen."

CLAP!

CLAP!

CLAP!

The sound of clapping came and everyone turned to see 888 walking in.

"You should be a film emperor instead," 888 said to Lu Ming. He just could not get over how talented the man was. The only reason Lu Ming had tried to stop He Yuan from helping the family was because he knew He Yuan would be on guard if Lu Ming was suddenly so proactive in helping people.

The man had used reverse psychology to trap He Yuan and that was why his plan had worked perfectly.

"You claim to be against Du Jian but then why did you try to kill me for the same man hm?" 888 asked with raised brows and He Yuan's eyes narrowed dangerously on Lu Ming.

"You- You-" Lu Ming was stumped for words but when he saw 888 slowly walk over to seat on the arm rest of He Yuan's chair, he glared and looked to He Yuan with pleading eyes. "Brother Ling, you must not believe what this man says!

-He is actually Du Jian's whore and has been sleeping with him for months. Who knows, he is probably a spy that had been planted at your side by Du Jian. You must not fall for his antics!"

Lu Ming pointed at 888 heatedly. "Just because you managed to sleep with brother Ling a few times doesn't mean he would belie-"

All sounds were cut off abruptly as Lu Ming's head suddenly snapped back and he began bleeding profusely from his nose.

[Leave.] He Yuan projected and Lu Ming slowly turned around and walked away with blank eyes. He could finish off the man at this moment but honestly, he wanted Du Ling to decide Lu Ming's fate himself. The leaser needed to enact his own revenge. It was a form of release.

Once Lu Ming left, Xiao Yu looked from He Yuan to 888 and gulped. "So~ You two~"

"No." He Yuan and 888 said at the same time and Xiao Yu visibly relaxed.

A week later, He Yuan finally found an opportunity to leave the military base peacefully and trap Lu Ming at the same time.