Why Do All the Villains Look at Me Like This? - Chapter 42

Let out a scream, or feign terror…?

What kind of strategy is this?

Meng Xuexiao stood beside the console, utterly bewildered, blinking in confusion.

He would have found it easier to accept if the Artificial Intelligence had suggested coercion or bribery.

The Captain reeked of blood, a clear sign he had killed countless people. For someone like that, screams and terror were commonplace. How could such a thing possibly move him?

Li Hao was even less likely to be swayed. After all, Li Hao was the one who had dragged him into this duel. If anyone wanted him dead, Li Hao would be second on the list, no one else could possibly be first.

But why would the Artificial Intelligence suggest this?

Hadn’t it always been flawless before?

Could it be…?

Meng Xuexiao glanced at the long string of Alien Beasts dangling from the Mecha’s exterior.

He swallowed hard.

Could there be too many Alien Beasts outside, blocking the signal?

His gaze returned to the console.

The final line of text remained unchanged on the screen, as if quietly awaiting his action.

Suddenly, the thought of asking, “Was the signal just blocked?” vanished like a popped bubble.

This is too embarrassing to even ask!

Maybe I should just try it…

Meng Xuexiao rolled his eyes, curled his toes slightly, and discreetly scuffed the floor.

He would keep his voice low and avoid looking too eager, just going through the motions.

If the two people facing off on the other side didn’t hear him, perfect. He wouldn’t have to die of embarrassment. But if they did…

Ugh, that would be mortifying!

In that case, he’d quickly turn away and act as nonchalantly as possible. Even if they heard him, they might assume they misheard!

That’s the plan!

Plan successful?!

Meng Xuexiao steeled himself, then pinched his thigh hard.

“Ouch!” He couldn’t help but shudder, his knees knocking together as he rubbed his inner thigh vigorously. The skin instantly turned bright red, and physiological tears nearly welled up in the corners of his eyes.

His first time acting, he… accidentally went overboard.

Meng Xuexiao was so embarrassed that he forced back the cry of pain that had just escaped his lips.

He lowered his eyelashes, too ashamed to look at the Artificial Intelligence in the control booth.

I messed up. I completely messed up…

I guess I’m just not cut out for lying…

But… maybe that’s for the best.

At least I won’t die of embarrassment. I should just honestly think of another way…

Always trying to take shortcuts… That won’t work.

He took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and looked up, ready to face the two men locked in their tense standoff. But he found both the Captain and Li Hao had simultaneously turned their heads, their eyes fixed intently on him.

The breath Meng Xuexiao had just drawn in leaked out like air from a punctured balloon.

This is the worst possible scenario…

The two men had witnessed his entire disastrous performance…

How was he supposed to explain this?!

He was about to dig his toes into the ground from embarrassment!

Just say he accidentally bumped his foot earlier. That should work, right?!

Li Hao instantly caught the flicker of panic in the young man’s eyes.

Meng Xuexiao… is he already injured? Did he get hurt without me knowing?!

Damn it, damn it, damn it! Brother Wu is going to kill me!

With a snap, a string in Li Hao’s mind snapped. He strode purposefully toward them.

At that moment, Li Hao’s face was a mask of inner turmoil. The collapse of his composure had frozen his features into a grotesque, stretched mask that looked… utterly terrifying.

Meng Xuexiao immediately retreated several steps.

See? I told you this plan wouldn’t work! Li Hao clearly thinks he’s been made a fool of, and now he’s furious!

He’s retreating… Meng Xuexiao is retreating!

He never backed down like this when they were locked in fierce competition at the Federation Military Academy!

This was serious!

Li Hao quickened his pace, his expression darkening further.

As one advanced relentlessly and the other retreated, neither noticed the long chain of Alien Beasts arching back like a massive hammer, poised to slam down on them.

“Useless piece of trash!” the Captain gritted his teeth.

The chain of Alien Beasts weighed at least a thousand pounds, far beyond the capacity of ordinary mecha, let alone Meng Xuexiao’s current model, which looked like it was on the verge of collapse.

Sure enough, they had no choice but to abandon the mecha.

The Captain raised his hand, and his mecha instantly enveloped his body.

He charged toward Meng Xuexiao and Li Hao, grabbing one under each arm, and lurched out of the leaking energy bay.

Landing steadily atop the mecha, the Captain exhaled in relief.

Phew… good thing the energy bay was leaking. Otherwise, getting out would have been tricky.

The instant he emerged, the Alien Beast hammer crashed down on the mecha. The dull impact created a sonic boom that forced the Captain to clamp his hands over his ears.

Yet his eyes remained fixed on the battered mecha.

The scene that had just unfolded was terrifying. Even some of his subordinates, caught off guard, had been left behind at the base and were likely dead by now.

The man fell silent.

One day, he would return to this planet and make these Alien Beasts pay in blood!

But in the next moment, the force of the impact shattered the Alien Beast hammer into fragments. Yet beneath the wreckage, the mecha remained… completely intact!

Completely intact?

Seeing his subordinate inside the mecha staring back in bewilderment, even the Captain couldn’t help but rub his eyes.

But then, the seemingly undamaged mecha suddenly glowed red, almost blasting a warning signal onto the public channel.

With a loud thud, Chu Sinian’s foolish subordinate was violently ejected from the cockpit, crashing headfirst into the ground.

The Enforcer could barely contain its fury.

Its earlier assessment had been correct, humans were nothing but vermin that needed to be eradicated.

That idiot subordinate of Chu Sinian had actually managed to smuggle Meng Xuexiao out from under its nose!

If Meng Xuexiao had remained within its sight, it could have ensured his safety. But out there…

Utterly useless!

Meanwhile, the S-Class Aberrant Beast, the Giant Ape, was directing several low-level Alien Beasts to collect the wreckage of the mecha scattered across the ground.

Its territory lay on the Empire’s border, a resource-poor region where it had resorted to pillaging and plundering to survive. Gradually, it had exhausted the human and Alien Beast populations in the surrounding areas, forcing it to take greater risks by venturing into the Federation Military Academy’s jurisdiction.

To its surprise, it immediately discovered signs of human activity, humans it hadn’t yet plundered, and ones who clearly possessed considerable wealth.

The fragments they were collecting had fallen from Meng Xuexiao’s mecha. These gleaming, exceptionally durable pieces were rare and valuable materials.

The Giant Ape picked up a fragment, bit into it, and grinned in satisfaction.

Now, not only would it have enough for its own needs, but it could also offer a portion to their king.

It had been fretting about what to offer during the Empire’s upcoming sacrificial ceremony. Its barren territory yielded only meager offerings, none of which had pleased the king in the past. Last time, the king had publicly smashed a bronze wine cauldron against its head. This time… surely this would suffice?

If only I could squeeze out more from this.

Lost in thought, its gaze fell upon the mecha hovering in the air, and it licked its lips hungrily.

If I don’t act now, all my planning for this Beast Tide will have been for nothing.

Noticing the Giant Ape’s dangerous stare, the Captain instinctively tightened his grip on Meng Xuexiao, loosened his hold on Li Hao’s hand, and pulled him forward slightly.

If the Giant Ape attacks suddenly, using Li Hao as a shield to buy time might be a good idea.

Li Hao wasn’t stupid. Though he prioritized Meng Xuexiao’s safety, he wasn’t about to sacrifice himself to pave the way for the Captain and the others. He immediately twisted around to face the Captain, his movements carrying a hint of desperate finality.

Though Li Hao was only an A-grade, he could still be troublesome if pushed to his limits.

The Captain, still carrying Meng Xuexiao, couldn’t fully engage in the struggle with Li Hao. The entanglement dragged on. The Captain’s grip on Meng Xuexiao remained steady, but the thrashing inevitably jostled him.

As he swayed back and forth, Meng Xuexiao’s eyes unconsciously met the Giant Ape’s gaze. The creature was watching them with keen interest, its eyes shifting as if tracking his movements.

At first, Meng Xuexiao was puzzled. Then it dawned on him, to the ape, his swaying figure probably looked like a cat toy…

Maybe, perhaps, possibly, the ape might pounce at any moment…

No, this is drawing too much attention…

At least, I need to find an opportunity…

He couldn’t resist nudging Li Hao and the Captain with his elbow, fumbling for words, “Um… I have a suggestion.”

Instantly, both men froze, turning to stare at Meng Xuexiao in unison.

The sensation was eerily similar to when Meng Xuexiao had overacted during his earlier performance…

Damn it… Is this going to end like last time?

The memory of his previous failure was still fresh in his mind. Li Hao probably thought he was trying to trick him again.

This time, Meng Xuexiao resolved to avoid the pit he’d fallen into last time. His eyes fixed earnestly on the Captain and Li Hao, radiating sincerity.

“The Giant Ape seems particularly interested in metal. It’s been collecting a lot of Mecha fragments. I think we can use this to negotiate with them.”

“If one of us takes some precious metal to trade, we might be able to bypass the Beast Tide entirely and get them to let us go.”

“I believe I’m the most suitable candidate for this task.”

Mindful of his previous failure, Meng Xuexiao doubled down on his sincerity. After all, he was preparing to “sacrifice himself” to secure the interests of the majority!

Surely the Captain and Li Hao would trust him this time?

Besides, in his view, this position was actually the least dangerous.

The Giant Ape’s focus was on metal. If he took the metal to negotiate, he’d essentially become a platter holding treasure. With the treasure so close, everyone’s attention would be fixed on it. Who would bother with the dull, unremarkable platter itself?

This was his chance to escape.

Meng Xuexiao had not only evaded the Giant Ape but also shaken off the troublesome Captain and Li Hao.

He was quite confident in his plan, his eyes sparkling as he looked at the Captain and Li Hao, practically ready to bid them farewell.

But the next moment, the Captain and Li Hao said in unison, “No way!”

Meng Xuexiao, “……”

Why… is this completely different from what I expected?!

His brow furrowed imperceptibly. Could it be that my acting wasn’t convincing enough? Didn’t they sense my sincerity?

Meng Xuexiao swallowed hard, determined to try again. But before he could speak, two more voices burst into his ears, “I do think this method is good, but it’s best left to me.”

“I’ll handle this!”

The Captain and Li Hao spoke almost in unison again.

Meng Xuexiao froze in place.

Wait, this is a suicide mission!

Why are they fighting over it?

Do they hate me so much they won’t even let me have a chance to live?

Is his acting really this bad?!

As the Captain and Li Hao gathered all their metal and approached the Giant Ape, Meng Xuexiao was positioned farthest from the creature, deeply reflecting on his situation.

The Captain and Li Hao carried a considerable amount of precious metals, each holding a small pile in one hand as they advanced.

The Captain lowered his gaze, extended his offering to the Giant Ape, and slowly moved his other hand behind his back, gripping the activation button of his Mecha’s heavy weapon.

Perhaps these precious metals aren’t worth much, but there’s no reason to give them away for free. When the Giant Ape gets close enough, I’ll seize the opportunity to strike it down in one blow.

Without the leadership of an S-Class Aberrant Beast, this abnormal Beast Tide would quickly disintegrate, posing little threat.

Li Hao’s eyes darted frequently toward the Captain before quickly averting his gaze.

As an A-grade, he harbored no grand ambitions. His sole plan was to retreat swiftly once the Captain had drawn the Giant Ape’s attention.

He had already mapped out several escape routes in his mind, knowing how to retreat while staying closer to Meng Xuexiao.

Of course, he understood that containing an S-Class Aberrant Beast within a Beast Tide was nearly impossible. But… as long as the Captain could distract the Giant Ape…

Just for a moment. That’s all I need to get Meng Xuexiao out of here.

The two humans present were each preoccupied with their own thoughts, unaware that while they scrutinized the Giant Ape and each other, the ape was also observing them.

Apes, already genetically similar to humans, were particularly adept at understanding human nature, especially those that had long preyed on them through slaughter and plunder.

Why would these humans freely offer me anything of value? the ape reasoned. They’ll likely try to fob me off with trash while hiding the real treasures as far from me as possible.

Instinctively, the ape’s gaze swept across the group, immediately locking onto the youth standing farthest away.

Perhaps due to the tension, the youth’s face appeared even purer than the most flawless white metal. Even if abandoned on a desolate planet like Yanxing, his face seemed to radiate its own light.

The youth’s eyes were fixed intently on the ape, the shifting emotions within them shimmering like a glass orb in sunlight—bright, dazzling, utterly… dazzling.

Brighter than any metal the ape had ever seen!

With such quality, the King would surely… adore this.

Damn it! the ape cursed inwardly. That youth was hiding inside the Mecha, and I only noticed now! I almost missed him…

These humans are so cunning!

The Giant Ape spat out the metal it had been proudly holding in its mouth, bounded past Captain and Li Hao, and seized Meng Xuexiao from behind without hesitation.

Its mouth stretched into a grin, “Perfect! You’re the one!”