I Don't Need Men

Shen Mo stood to one side, enjoying the show immensely—he was only missing a handful of sunflower seeds to crack. It would have been even better if he were not the center of it all.

Listening to them discuss him like merchandise, Shen Mo tugged at his bathrobe and lowered his head to look at his calves, feeling somewhat awkward.

What a mess. Should I just go back and wash my clothes? They might still be usable after a wash...

But awkwardness aside, he did not seem to be the most miserable person here right now. He definitely had to watch this joke unfold.

Still, Yang Xuan really is the lowest rung of the protagonist group—a Little Lion without a scrap of brains. No wonder he's always being suppressed. He doesn't even dare tell the female lead he likes her. He spends all day making a fuss, and you dared to act fierce with me just now. Serves you right!

But watching you all hate me so much while having no choice but to find me clothes feels incredible.

I'm unhappy, you're unhappy, nobody gets to be happy!

The benefits of this discussion belong to me, even if it's only for my sister's sake. Female lead, from now on, you're my real big sister. You don't need to chase anyone—if you set your sights on any man in the future, your little brother will definitely get him into your bed.

For some reason, Shen Mo had always felt an inexplicable sense of closeness toward the word "sister." It had seemed to be the same back in the Cultivation Realm.

He had had a sister in the Cultivation Realm too. Unfortunately, he had failed to protect her. Now, he had another one—and this one was truly related to him by blood.

For some reason, he was very happy.

With that thought, Shen Mo looked at the female lead with far more approval and indulgence in his eyes, then let his gaze wander over the remaining male leads.

Everyone caught in his line of sight gave an imperceptible shudder.

For some reason, they all felt as if they were being plotted against. Was this guy's danger level about to rise again?

Shen Yue's mouth twitched slightly as well. Should she perhaps make it clear that she did not need men right now?

Seeing the faintly warning looks they gave him, Shen Mo secretly scorned them in his heart.

Forget it. These male leads don't look very pleasing to the eye. I'll make do with them for now. If that doesn't work, I'll find the female lead a few more male leads later.

Look at those weird little looks in their eyes. They're probably cooking up something about me again. Should I prove first that I'm not that former fool? Even if I like the female lead, I still wouldn't fancy stinking men like you.

Forget it, take it slow! Otherwise, these idiots will probably start wondering what mischief I'm up to again.

Everyone present was left speechless upon hearing this. Though they could not figure out what exactly was happening, if they had guessed correctly, that voice belonged to this dramatic deadweight.

And judging by what the voice meant, some unforeseen change outside their plans had appeared for some unknown reason.

As for who was disgusted by whom—they wished this idiot would stay far away from them, all right?

When he noticed everyone's eyes turn toward him again, Shen Mo looked at his current appearance and felt his social anxiety about to flare up. He no longer had the mood to mock those male leads.

Why isn't that hot-tempered Little Lion back yet? Standing here with my legs bare is embarrassing me to death! Save me...!

Under everyone's scrutinizing gazes, Shen Mo edged closer to the female lead. He had figured it out—this bargain-bin sister was the only one he could rely on now.

Pretending to be obedient was the thing he had always been best at.

With that in mind, Shen Mo lifted his head and looked at Shen Yue with eager, pitiful eyes. Three parts pathetic, three parts aggrieved, four parts cautious, he said, "Sister, I'm hungry!"

The youth's hair had not yet dried. A patch of hair was missing where the wound on his head had been, though it was hidden beneath the rest of his long hair and was not obvious.

A few long strands clung to his cheeks, making him look especially innocent and pitiful.

Stared at by those clear blue eyes, Shen Yue's heart instantly melted into a muddle. "How is your wound now? I'll take you back to your room and treat it."

Shen Mo nodded obediently without mentioning that his wound had already healed completely, then followed Shen Yue up to the third floor.

Before leaving, he did not forget to offer a relieved complaint.

My dear sister, although my injury has already healed completely, thank you for saving me from this sea of misery. I can finally leave this place where right and wrong collide.

His injury had healed!!!

In an instant, the eyes of the people behind him all fixed on the retreating figure. Their identical reactions made them all freeze.

A moment later, they had all gathered in a room.

"You all heard it, right?" Su Ze pushed up his glasses, concealing the darkness in his eyes so that no one could see his expression at that moment.

Leng Shiyi gave him an indifferent glance and raised a hand to form an ice cup. Half a cup of water slowly appeared inside it. He took a sip. "So what? Are we still keeping him?"

That was not what Su Ze had meant, but he said nothing more.

"He's dead!"

Cui Yang, who had been standing silently to one side, suddenly spoke. His tone was somewhat stiff, certainty laced with confusion. "There is no way the trap we set could have gone wrong. He could not have survived today."

"If what that voice described just now was true, and that guy's injuries have completely healed, then our plan failed utterly. I don't understand."

After finishing the water in his cup, Leng Shiyi held the ice cup in his hand and toyed with it. Then, with a gentle squeeze, the cup turned into frost and scattered through the air, leaving a trace of coolness in the sweltering heat.

He did not care in the slightest whether Shen Mo lived or died. It was only that the failed plan might cause some trouble afterward. Thinking of this, he frowned and coolly voiced his guess. "Could zombie blood have gotten into his wound and caused him to mutate? Or did he awaken an ability when he was on the verge of death, restoring vitality to his body?"

"There's no precedent for that, but we can't rule out the possibility." Su Ze took several steps back, bracing himself against the table with both hands behind him. His fingers tapped rhythmically—a habitual movement whenever he was thinking.

Unlike usual, his fingers were trembling slightly now. Yet the change was so minute that the others did not notice it.

Clearly, his mind was in turmoil.

But Su Ze quickly hid it, and his tone returned to its usual casual indifference. "An unknown variable has appeared. Until we figure it out, let's keep him alive."

"I agree."

"Mm."

None of them objected to the decision. After all, they had concealed this plan from Shen Yue from the very beginning.

If they had succeeded, that would have been one thing. But it seemed they had failed.

If Shen Yue found out, they were finished!

They had all made guesses about the fact that the person in that body had changed, but none of them took the initiative to bring it up. They understood one another without speaking.

Perhaps, to them, having someone else take over was actually a better outcome—as long as he did not disgust people for no reason the way that guy used to.

"Yang Xuan should have heard that voice too. He almost gave us away." Leng Shiyi truly had a headache over his cousin.

Though he did not know what consequences being exposed would bring, they certainly would not be good.

"Ha, yeah. Luckily, we covered his mouth in time, or he would've cursed him out." Su Ze patted his friend's shoulder in consolation, expressing his sympathy.

With a younger brother like that, one truly had to worry every moment of every day.

"Do you think Miss Shen Yue can hear it too?" Cui Yang's expressionless question made the room fall silent again.

The other two immediately looked at him with a measure of speechlessness. If you don't know how to talk, you can just stay quiet. Why ruin the atmosphere with something like that?