Chapter 137: Not Troubling Oneself Over Groundless Matters

“Show some respect! Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“You brat, don’t just call every pretty lady ‘sister.’ Even a beautiful sister can’t just be tackled like that!”

Just as Qin Sheng reached the entrance of the assembly, her friends immediately surrounded her.

Some of them she had met in the Zombie Forest, but Lin Xing and Jiang Miaomiao barely knew each other, which explained the awkwardness of the situation.

Xiao Nuo spread his arms wide, shielding Qin Sheng, his face guarded as Lin Xing hurried toward them.

There was a palpable tension, as if they were about to clash head-on.

Seeing the fierce glares about to pierce through each other, Qin Sheng sighed helplessly and patted Xiao Nuo’s shoulder, signaling him to lower his arms.

“Lin Xing, this is Xiao Nuo, my brother.”

Qin Sheng explained to Lin Xing, then glanced at Xiao Nuo and added, “This is Lin Xing, and Jiang Miaomiao and Chu Xingyu are good friends of mine.”

Upon hearing the explanation, Xiao Nuo scratched his head awkwardly and apologized, “Sorry, I was reckless just now.”

Jiang Miaomiao and Chu Xingyu smiled and shook their heads, saying it was no problem.

But Lin Xing still seemed quite wary of Xiao Nuo.

After all, Qin Sheng had been away in the Zombie Forest for only a week, and now she came back with a handsome young man—no, her brother.

Qin Sheng noticed Lin Xing’s expression, which oddly made her feel as if she’d been unfaithful.

“Shengsheng, nothing happened in the Zombie Forest, right? Did you get hurt?” Jiang Miaomiao stepped forward, clasping Qin Sheng’s hand, her brows furrowed with concern as she scanned Qin Sheng for any signs of injury.

Jiang Miaomiao was always the kind to worry about Qin Sheng’s well-being.

Qin Sheng smiled and shook her head, indicating she was unscathed.

“That’s a relief.” Jiang Miaomiao gently patted her chest, confessing that being apart from Qin Sheng these past days had made her uneasy.

“Miaomiao sister, don’t worry! Sister is amazing—she’s my hero!” Xiao Nuo appeared beside them suddenly, grinning obediently.

Qin Sheng’s face lit up with a smile as she lightly ruffled Xiao Nuo’s hair, teasing, “You’re the best at flattering me.”

“No, no, sister, you’re the best in my heart!”

Qin Sheng and Jiang Miaomiao exchanged smiles, their faces glowing with happiness.

“You’re all talk,” Lin Xing muttered softly beside Chu Xingyu, sneaking an eye-roll when none of them noticed.

Chu Xingyu shook his head helplessly but said nothing; after all, Lin Xing had behaved the same way when Song Qing’an was brought back by Qin Sheng.

Now, their feelings toward Song Qing’an had softened, leaving behind the earlier tension.

Lin Xing was just a little jealous; it would pass with time.

“Captain!”

As Jiang Miaomiao was asking Qin Sheng about the thrilling events in the Zombie Forest, unfamiliar voices called out from behind.

And the ‘captain’ they referred to was none other than Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng heard them and turned to wave in greeting.

Lin Xing’s jealousy flared even more when he saw several young men approaching.

“Enough, Lin Ge. Sister Sheng is now the captain of the Seventh Guard Team. It’s normal for her to have some guys around. It can’t be just the two of us, right?” Chu Xingyu whispered into Lin Xing’s ear.

“I know,” Lin Xing said through gritted teeth.

Wang Qiang and his group, seeing Qin Sheng beckon them, quickly approached.

Jiang Miaomiao raised an eyebrow and quietly asked Qin Sheng, “When did you manage to win him over?”

Following her gaze, Qin Sheng recognized the figure as Shen Shi, who had previously opposed them.

Shen Shi had performed just as well as Qin Sheng in the arena matches, and with his striking looks and aloof aura, it was hard not to notice him.

Qin Sheng smiled faintly and joked, “Zombie Forest—probably because my charm was just too overwhelming…”

Jiang Miaomiao looked at Qin Sheng in admiration, sensing that she had become braver and even more playful after returning from the Zombie Forest.

Her surprise was mixed with delight and happiness, proof that Qin Sheng was getting better, which pleased her greatly.

“Captain, our seats have been arranged. We’ll take you there shortly,” Wang Qiang said, having just come from the seating arrangements.

Qin Sheng nodded, “Thank you for your hard work.”

Wang Qiang smiled and shook his head, “It’s my duty.”

“These are Jiang Miaomiao, Lin Xing, and Chu Xingyu—my good friends. And these are Wang Qiang, Xiao Pang, Yu Yongyu, and Shen Shi. You all know each other now,” Qin Sheng introduced them one by one.

“The captain’s friends are our friends too,” Xiao Pang said, draping an arm over Wang Qiang’s shoulder with a hearty laugh.

“Right, right. The captain’s friends are my friends. You’re all younger than me, just call me Uncle Yu,” Yu Yongyu added with a smile.

Jiang Miaomiao laughed, “Hello, I’m Jiang Miaomiao.”

They all exchanged brief, warm introductions before the call over the loudspeaker summoned them.

“I’ll go with them first. See you later,” Qin Sheng said to Jiang Miaomiao and the others, then followed Wang Qiang to their seats.

Naturally, Qin Sheng’s captain’s seat was the first one. She strode directly to it, ignoring the murmurs around her about the first female captain of a guard team in the safe zone.

She sat down casually, waiting for the assembly to begin.

Unexpectedly, she encountered someone she had met before.

The Tiger Team.

If Qin Sheng remembered correctly, the Tiger Team was the Fifth Guard Team in the safe zone.

During the previous zombie invasion, Qin Sheng had helped Yang Lin and his team, who were running low on supplies.

Yang Lin knew in advance that Qin Sheng was the new captain and had brought the Tiger Team members to the assembly site early to wait for her.

Qin Sheng caught Yang Lin’s eye and gave him a faint smile and nod in greeting.

Yang Lin returned the polite smile before turning away.

The brief exchange between Yang Lin and Qin Sheng was noticed by many, sparking louder whispers.

“I always said, how could a girl beat everyone else to become captain? There must be some kind of backstage deal. I just saw the Fifth Team’s captain Yang Lin exchanging glances with her.”

“I used to admire her, but now I just feel disgusted. How could the captain have some hidden agenda?”

“Exactly. Everyone works so hard, and yet the captain spot goes to someone with connections. It’s so unfair.”

Such gossip might be one thing when whispered here and there, but at the assembly, it spread like wildfire.

Rumors even claimed Qin Sheng and Yang Lin were romantically involved.

Wang Qiang, who had been quietly watching those around him, was furious upon hearing this and was about to stand and argue.

Qin Sheng stopped him with a calm voice, “Let them talk. Falsehoods can never become truth.”

She knew that trying to explain might backfire, making people suspect she had something to hide.

Better to pretend ignorance.

Ignoring such rumors was the best way to quash them.

But there was more to it.

“Captain Yang, they’re saying you and Qin Sheng have a thing. Is it true? When’s the wedding?”

The Tiger Team members didn’t mind the rumors; some even hoped they were true.

With Qin Sheng’s strength, figure, and looks, they felt their captain wasn’t worthy of her position.

“Stop, what nonsense are you talking about? Am I that kind of person?” Yang Lin said, feigning annoyance but secretly embarrassed.

“Are you shy, Captain Yang?”

“Really, it’s like a millennium-old iron tree finally blossomed.”

Yang Lin frowned, feeling the remarks were inappropriate.

He admired Qin Sheng but nothing romantic had transpired. Such rumors did no harm to him but could seriously affect Qin Sheng.

“No more nonsense. She’s a pure young lady. Is it fair to say such things about her?”

“Understood, Captain Yang.”

“Yes, sir!”

The Tiger Team members obeyed Yang Lin immediately. Sensing his growing anger, they complied quickly, knowing that defiance might mean a grueling ten-kilometer run.

Yang Lin glanced at Qin Sheng’s profile from a distance. Though slightly blurred, he couldn’t deny her face was flawless, even in profile, still captivating.

Especially since her side profile bore a striking resemblance to his sister.

He withdrew his gaze and inhaled deeply, a dull ache in his chest reminding him of how much he missed her.

He wondered if she was doing well in heaven.

“Sister...”

Xiao Nuo, having overheard the gossip, quietly switched seats with Wang Qiang in the front row to sit behind Qin Sheng.

Qin Sheng turned to him when he called.

“What is it?”

“They’re all talking about you. I’m worried...” Xiao Nuo pursed his lips, his eyes briefly flickering with a cold, steely resolve, though well concealed.

Qin Sheng smiled reassuringly, “I’m fine. I won’t care too much about baseless rumors.”