Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 10

Clearly, the words were spoken very clearly, but to Meng Xuexiao, they sounded as if they were coming through a layer of water—no matter how he tried, he couldn’t hear them properly. In the end, he tilted his head slightly, looking at Shen Zekai with a confused expression.

The boy’s strange reaction and visible confusion only made Shen Zekai more anxious. He quickly turned to Chu Sinian and said, “Meng Xuexiao must be injured. Please, could you check on him right away?”

Shen Zekai had indeed been shocked when he saw the Enforcer’s symbol, but he quickly realized the seriousness of the situation.

The last time the Enforcer appeared, wasn’t it also because Meng Xuexiao’s life had been in danger?

This time… it was probably the same.

As the son of a colonel, Shen Zekai had experienced his fair share of kidnappings. That last incident had felt almost routine for him, something he often joked about with others, complaining that he had the worst luck in the world.

But now, looking at it…

Meng Xuexiao seemed to have it even worse.

Even now, Meng Xuexiao still didn’t seem fully conscious of what was happening. His lips parted slightly, his shoulders slightly hunched, sloping downward—making his thin frame look even more frail.

Shen Zekai let out a sigh, “Sigh, what a mess… Why does it feel like he’s always running into life-threatening situations?”

“No problem,” Chu Sinian said, his gaze lingering briefly on the eye-shaped symbol on the mecha. The corners of his lips lifted slightly, and he immediately instructed the two medics pushing the equipment to follow him toward Meng Xuexiao.

He looked at Meng Xuexiao, who sat motionless in the mecha, and gently said, “Can I take a look at your condition?”

Chu Sinian’s voice was pleasant, like a spring breeze brushing softly across the cheek.

Meng Xuexiao usually didn’t like people who were overly familiar. That kind of boundary-crossing intimacy made him uncomfortable. But Chu Sinian had a perfect sense of control and warmth without being overbearing. He seemed like someone who would be very easy to get along with.

Even so, Meng Xuexiao was still preoccupied with the possibility of being expelled from the academy. He couldn’t fully relax.

Chu Sinian seemed to sense what he was thinking. He reached out a hand toward him, like encouraging a baby to take its first step.

“It’s okay. Trust me.”

That tone, that expression, even the eyes behind his glasses radiated gentleness. This was probably the natural aura of an older brother figure in the medical field. Meng Xuexiao couldn’t help but reach out his hand, only to notice that the warning light on the mecha control panel had begun flashing again.

The last time it had flashed like this was when the mecha was about to self-destruct.

Has something else gone wrong?

His outstretched hand froze mid-air, then quickly withdrew. The relaxed look on his face vanished as he maneuvered the mecha to retreat several steps.

“Don’t come any closer!”

Chu Sinian’s gaze, like Meng Xuexiao’s hand, paused for a moment. He glanced at his own empty hand, then looked toward the currents flowing across the surface of the mecha—fluid and alive, like a creature.

Just now, those currents had shifted into a new shape—a coldly grinning mouth, directed straight at him. The corners of Chu Sinian’s lips lifted slightly. He lowered his hand with perfect composure.

Meng Xuexiao waited for quite a while, staring at the blinking warning light like he was facing down a deadly threat, almost boring a hole in the control panel with his eyes.

But… nothing happened.

In fact, after a moment, the warning light turned off on its own, as if it had never been on at all.

Uh… this is a little awkward.

When he saw the light blinking just now, he thought something had gone wrong with the mecha again and retreated quickly to avoid hurting anyone. He had never imagined it would just be a false alarm.

Didn’t he just say “Don’t come any closer” to Chu Sinian? Now that he thought about it… that was way too rude! He wasn’t sure if the other man would mind.

The Federation Military Academy had always been run under strict military discipline—teachers were like commanding officers to students, and such hierarchical boundaries were not to be crossed casually.

Meng Xuexiao still remembered how he had once gotten in trouble with the mecha operations instructor because of this.

So he didn’t hesitate to admit fault, “I’m really, really sorry. I have no idea what’s going on with this mecha!”

He lowered his head, assuming a submissive posture, like a small, curled-up chick.

It was… almost too adorable.

Chu Sinian narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone turning even gentler, “This is a problem with the mecha, there’s no need for you to apologize. This outdated model shouldn’t have been in use to begin with. It’s an oversight on the school’s part. I’ll bring it up with the headmaster.”

“Now, do you need my help getting out of the mecha? I noticed your movements weren’t quite natural when operating it, did you injure your foot? We should treat it immediately.”

He noticed.

Meng Xuexiao froze for a moment.

His foot, half-hidden beneath the control panel, reflexively scraped against the floor, and a wave of searing, burning pain shot through him like needles. He couldn’t help but let out a small hiss of pain. His foot had indeed been injured during the mecha’s breakdown, but compared to the threat to his life, the wound had felt insignificant—so much so that even he had almost forgotten about it.

“See? That’s what happens when injuries aren’t treated right away. If it keeps getting worse, it might even cost you your life,” Chu Sinian said, a trace of sternness creeping into his otherwise gentle tone—though still not one that could provoke discomfort.

The moment he mentioned “your life,” the restless currents surrounding the mecha suddenly paused, as if reluctant, then slowly receded—which allowed Chu Sinian to safely make contact with Meng Xuexiao.

His arms slipped beneath the boy’s knees, and effortlessly, he lifted him from the mecha. As Chu Sinian carried him toward the medical equipment, a line of text suddenly appeared on the mecha’s external screen.

Due to the angle, only Chu Sinian could see it:

[Artist, just try laying a hand on Meng Xuexiao. If he dies, we’ll be forced to start the cycle all over again! Do you want to be trapped in this loop forever?]

Chu Sinian gave a low snort. The warmth in his eyes vanished, replaced by deep sarcasm and disdain, “I don’t need a machine to lecture me.”

With that, he turned away without a trace of hesitation.

The two medics and the mecha operations instructor had already set up all the equipment.

Seeing Chu Sinian approach, the instructor leaned in and spoke in a low voice, “It’s all settled already? As expected of you!”

“That pattern just now… it was the Enforcer, right? Can’t believe it actually snuck into the school. If you hadn’t been here, we’d have no idea what to do.”

“…The Enforcer?!”

Surprisingly, it was Meng Xuexiao who spoke before Chu Sinian could. He instinctively turned to look—and sure enough, spotted the eye-like symbol on the outer shell of the mecha.

With the confirmation in front of him, he immediately reexamined everything that had happened and quickly connected the dots.

That sudden mecha activation? It wasn’t because he had coincidentally restored the configuration, the Enforcer had taken over his mecha. Realizing just how close he had been to the Enforcer, Meng Xuexiao couldn’t help but feel a wave of fear.

If I had done anything suspicious back then… Would it have killed me on the spot?

Wasn’t the Federation Military Academy supposed to be the safest place in the entire Federation? Then how had the Enforcer gotten in so easily…?

A strained smile tugged at Meng Xuexiao’s lips, one that looked worse than crying.

Sure enough, there’s no such thing as absolute safety in this world.

“Yeah, it was definitely the Enforcer!” Shen Zekai chimed in excitedly.

“My dad and I always thought he was some dangerous wild card, but now that I’ve seen him, he’s actually kind of cool. Honestly, sometimes I envy you—you actually know someone like the Enforcer!”

Shen Zekai didn’t notice the look on Meng Xuexiao’s face. His voice carried a hint of admiration. No matter his family background, he was still just a kid and to him, something like this was undeniably cool.

But when those words reached the ears of the mecha operations instructor, they took on an entirely different meaning. He couldn’t help but scrutinize the youth more closely, his gaze seemingly weighing, evaluating whether Meng Xuexiao truly deserved this much attention.

From the instructor’s point of view, Meng Xuexiao did have something unusual about him. But for an F-grade to not only be close to Shen Zekai, but also have some sort of connection with the Enforcer…

and even someone like Chu Sinian showing interest in him?

That was just a bit too much.

Meng Xuexiao naturally felt the instructor’s probing gaze, a look that held both suspicion and caution. He instantly understood, it was because of what Shen Zekai had said. Shen Zekai was seriously overestimating him. How could someone like him, just an F-grade, possibly be friends with the Enforcer?

The fact that he hadn’t been killed earlier was already enough of a miracle.

In any case, whatever connection he might have with the Enforcer had to be denied—that figure was, after all, an enemy of the Federation. The less involvement, the better.

So he quickly explained, “You’ve misunderstood. I don’t actually have any connection to the Enforcer. I only said that before to trick the kidnappers.”

As soon as those words left his mouth, both Shen Zekai’s and the mecha instructor’s expressions clearly shifted. Meng Xuexiao was immediately satisfied. He had known from a very young age that if he wanted others to believe him, he had to be sincere.

So just now, that whole explanation, he’d said it with complete earnestness and honesty. Meng Xuexiao even felt like he could give himself a perfect score for it.

“So… you really don’t know the Enforcer?” the mecha operations instructor asked once more for confirmation.

“That’s right,” Meng Xuexiao nodded without the slightest hint of guilt.

The instructor lowered his gaze.

As expected, once all other possibilities are ruled out, whatever remains—however improbable—must be the truth.

Now, even if he didn’t want to believe it, he had no choice but to accept that Meng Xuexiao and the Enforcer were indeed familiar.

This kid… still too inexperienced. To lie so blatantly and obviously.

Yes, the Enforcer was a figure the Federation feared and monitored closely, but in a situation like this, most people wouldn’t think about cutting ties. Their first instinct would be to leverage the claim for personal benefit.

If you can take something for free, why not take it?

The only kind of person who would deny a connection with the Enforcer was someone who had an exceptionally close relationship with them. So really, what kind of mysterious power did this kid Meng Xuexiao have?

The mecha operations instructor knelt and carefully removed Meng Xuexiao’s shoe, then took a pair of scissors and gently cut away the sock sticking to his injury.

Who would’ve thought a rough-and-tough military man could handle something like this with such delicate care? At that moment, Meng Xuexiao also started to sense that something was off in the instructor’s behavior. Normally, something like this would never require the teacher to do it personally. Didn’t he see the two medics off to the side, silently fuming at having their job stolen?

In the end, Meng Xuexiao could only conclude that the instructor still didn’t believe what he said.

But—he really had nothing to do with the Enforcer!

And so, he was forced to keep plugging that hole with explanations, over and over again. He genuinely felt like he had already done his best!

Chu Sinian stood nearby, watching it all unfold, a faint smile rising in his eyes.

He tapped the mecha with the toe of his leather shoe and said, “Enforcer, you really are quite a failure. You’ve been protecting him for so long, and Meng Xuexiao’s still terrified of you, going to great lengths to deny any connection with you.”

As he said this, he smoothly inserted himself between the instructor and the medics, “The wound’s been handled well enough. I’ll take over from here—any more careless handling, and it could leave a scar.”

Chu Sinian walked over and gently lifted Meng Xuexiao’s ankle, resting it on his own knee.

Compared to the man’s knee and leg, the boy’s foot was small and light. The angry red of the wound was jarringly vivid, causing Chu Sinian to frown.

He pulled out a disinfectant spray and evenly misted the wound. The cold medicine hitting his skin made Meng Xuexiao hiss in pain, his toes instinctively curling up.

Chu Sinian looked up at him, “Too cold?”

His grip on the spray bottle shifted, then he used his broad palm to cup the canister, warming it with his own body heat.

While Chu Sinian was focused on treating Meng Xuexiao, the mecha operations instructor suddenly seemed to recall something and said, “Things were hectic just now, so I didn’t get a chance to introduce him—this is Chu Sinian, Dr. Chu, the strongest external medical consultant at the Federation Military Academy’s infirmary.”

What?!

Chu… Sinian?!

Meng Xuexiao’s back jolted straight, nearly leaping off Chu Sinian’s lap while still in the middle of having his foot treated, like a silverfish that had just realized it was about to be served on a platter.

What kind of sick joke is this?! Chu Sinian is one of the major villains in the book!

This man was a textbook elite of society—officially a businessman, but with status in the Federation that was practically untouchable. His medical skills were world-leading. Unfortunately, his heart was pitch-black to the core.

In the future, when the villains began to rise and humanity hovered on the brink of extinction, Chu Sinian’s domain became humanity’s last sanctuary. But Chu Sinian was a businessman, he didn’t do charity. He demanded equivalent exchange from those who begged at his gates for a sliver of hope. But what he wanted wasn’t money, it was beautiful human organs.

A pretty eyeball.

A delicate hand.

A perfectly shaped heart.

Chu Sinian was an artist. His hobby?

Assembling dolls made of human body parts.

The thing Meng Xuexiao remembered most vividly about Chu Sinian was the doll house inside his mansion.

The dollhouse was fully furnished, every item inside custom-made at great expense. The dolls, stitched together from human organs, were elegant, ornate, and disturbingly beautiful. Chu Sinian had given each doll a name, referring to them as his sons and daughters. When he spoke of them, his eyes held something that could only be described as fondness.

But such affection couldn’t mask the grotesque nature of what he was doing.

Meng Xuexiao propped himself up, taking the opportunity to lower his leg, but the moment his ankle touched the ground, a hand firmly caught hold of it. He looked up slightly, meeting Chu Sinian’s gaze.

The man’s eyes were still just as gentle, with a touch of confusion this time. But Meng Xuexiao knew, it was all an act.

This was the classic way Chu Sinian lured in his prey.

Students at the Federation Military Academy who got too close to Chu Sinian would inexplicably go missing. No matter their status, they would vanish without a trace. They… had all become part of Chu Sinian’s collection in his display cases.

Just thinking about it made Meng Xuexiao tremble ever so slightly.

He forced down the unease in his voice and said, “Uh, I think my foot is fine now… May I leave?”

But the moment his words fell, the electric currents circling around his mecha began to crackle ominously.

The Enforcer snapped a photo and thrust it directly in front of Chu Sinian’s eyes.

[Subject detected: Meng Xuexiao.

Symptoms: Rapid heart rate, cold extremities.

Psychological analysis: In a state of extreme fear.

Behavioral analysis: Ready to flee at any moment.]

[Chu Sinian, for someone who thinks his charm level is maxed out… you’re not doing so great, huh.]

The crackling electric currents sizzled like mockery.