The apocalypse came suddenly while he was still in the office, and all he could think about was survival. He made his way here in a disheveled state, having endured much hardship along the way.
He had encountered other ability users, but being someone with a good education, he found it beneath him to beg like the leader of their group had done. Fortunately, his good looks and persuasive speech allowed some to willingly share a bit of their food with him, ensuring he didn't starve, though he wasn't exactly full.
Upon hearing about the establishment of Base S by the government, he thought, with his background, he might find a decent job that would at least keep him fed.
But he never expected to encounter Park Su here, the one who had always chased after him, and even less expected to see him looking so dignified compared to his own ragged appearance.
In his eyes, Park Su was somewhat clever but lacked in physical prowess or combat skills. As a rich second-generation, how could he fare better than him? It was an injustice that irked him.
However, seeing Park Su's current state and the fact that he and his companions could afford to eat like this suggested they had ample supplies. If he could latch onto Park Su, he might escape his current plight. That's why he called out to him, but he was unprepared for Park Su's cold, distant look instead of the eager, puppy-like behavior of the past.
This stark contrast unsettled him further. He had watched when their leader approached; Park Su didn't lift a finger, focusing solely on cooking, while the real threat came from the other three.
Having worked in a foreign enterprise, Sun Muyang had developed a keen eye for reading people. From their interactions, he could tell Xu Nuo was the leader among them.
Xu Nuo's gaze often lingered on Park Su, making it clear to Sun Muyang that Xu Nuo had feelings for him. Given his past impression of Park Su, he believed that Park Su's current lifestyle was solely because he had found a patron in Xu Nuo, not due to his own abilities.
He looked at Xu Nuo's appearance again, feeling a mix of disdain and slight jealousy towards Park Su. This person had found such a strong backer, who was not only handsome but perhaps even more so than himself. No wonder Park Su had stopped contacting him.
Sun Muyang had to sell himself once in the apocalypse for survival, and the individual wasn't half as good-looking as Xu Nuo, which only fueled his envy towards Park Su's luck.
However, he knew his current situation didn't allow for confrontation with Park Su. His strategy was to ingratiate himself with Park Su and find an opportunity to join their group. With his looks, he felt he could at least match Park Su, if not outdo him, and believed he could charm Xu Nuo.
Within moments, he had calculated all this, masking his disdain with a joyful smile, "I, I didn't come to find you for anything special, I'm just so happy. We haven't seen each other for almost two months. Before the apocalypse, we were practically inseparable. I've really, really missed you. Have you missed me?"
The last sentence was added with a sense of repulsion; since he was in this situation, he might as well exploit Park Su's past affection for him.
In his view, every man had a desire to conquer, and the harder something was to attain, the more one wanted it. To Park Su, he should be like a beacon of unattainable desire, having never explicitly reciprocated all those years of pursuit.
Now, giving a little response should make Park Su eager to reconnect, even if he wouldn't show it in front of Xu Nuo. At least, he might bring him into their group, allowing them to talk later at night.
Once he was part of the group, he'd find ways to get close to Xu Nuo. But contrary to his expectations, his words didn't stir Park Su's heart; instead, Park Su saw through the disdain, contempt, and jealousy in Sun Muyang's eyes.
After six years in the apocalypse, Park Su was no longer the naive person he had been. His ability to read people was as good as, if not better than, Sun Muyang's, especially given his particular attention to him.
Seeing the real emotions behind Sun Muyang's feigned affection made Park Su feel slightly nauseated. So, this was the look on Sun Muyang's face when expressing love; how blind had he been not to see through this insincere affection?
Had it always been like this? If so, when Sun Muyang awakened his own abilities, realizing Park Su was no longer of use to him, it would make sense for him to want to erase what he might see as a stain on his life.
After all, at that point, Park Su's wood-type ability would no longer be worthy in Sun Muyang's eyes compared to his own aggressive abilities, despite the six years of companionship.
Even if he wasn't the most famous, he had mingled in the circles of ability users long enough for many to recognize both him and Sun Muyang. If Sun Muyang were to abandon him, it would lead to gossip that could tarnish his reputation, making it harder to find a better match.
But by framing his actions as an accident where his partner tragically died in a zombie horde, feigning profound sorrow, not only would he avoid blame but also garner sympathy, facilitating his search for a new partner. Even those ability users he knew might assist him.
The more Park Su thought about it, the more he believed his suspicions were correct; Sun Muyang had never truly liked him, it was all pretense!
Yet, he couldn't fathom how someone could be so heartless after six years of companionship, not even showing a hint of reluctance when he pushed him into the horde.
Taking a deep breath, Park Su felt increasingly agitated, his inner demons resurfacing. As he tried to suppress them, it was too late; his heart rate became chaotic, his breathing labored.
The next moment, everything went black, and he collapsed. Xu Nuo, already irritated by Sun Muyang's words to Park Su, had been holding back, wanting to see how Park Su would respond to the claim of being missed. He hadn't anticipated Park Su staring intently at Sun Muyang without any reaction, making his expression sour with jealousy, which in turn blinded him to Park Su's distress.
By the time Xu Nuo realized what was happening, Park Su had already fainted. Alarmed, Xu Nuo quickly held him, checking his pulse to find his heart rate in disarray, showing symptoms of a surge of inner demons. Worried that this might cause his meridians to rupture, turning him into a wreck, Xu Nuo immediately began channeling his spiritual energy to stabilize him, also using a calming talisman from his pocket.
Ge Qing and Lu Shang, seeing this, were equally shocked and rushed over. Seeing Xu Nuo already acting, they could only watch anxiously.
Sun Muyang, taken aback by Park Su's reaction, stepped forward to speak but was immediately blocked by Ge Qing and Lu Shang. "You'd better not come closer. Park Su has fainted because of you. We don't know what your relationship is, or if you did something to him, but for Park Su's sake, we'll let this go. Either you leave now, or we'll make you leave. Choose."
Sun Muyang hadn't expected such decisiveness from them. He looked towards Xu Nuo, but Xu Nuo was solely focused on Park Su, not sparing him a glance. With Park Su unconscious, his only leverage, he knew staying would only increase suspicion against him. Better to leave now and find another chance to approach Park Su in secret. He figured Park Su wouldn't just abandon their relationship; he was just overly emotional from the reunion.
The ordinary people who had been chased away earlier, seeing Sun Muyang still trying to chat up Xu Nuo's group, had some hope, but when they saw him slink away, one of them couldn't help but snark, "Some people really think they're all that, trying to seduce just anyone."
"I saw those two earlier; they were clearly a couple, and he still wanted to be the third wheel. He should take a good look at himself. How does he compare to those two? He's just making a fool of himself. Look, he's been sent packing, hasn't he?"
"Exactly, some people need to know their place. Ability users aren't to be trifled with, and he's got such high standards. Some men think everyone swings that way just because they met one guy who did. Hahaha!"