Shen Qingqiu’s reaction was expected by everyone. Not only Shen Qingqiu, but Chen Kaijie and the others also disapproved.
“Vice Captain is right; we can’t let you take this risk. Finding the antiviral serum is our secret mission. Although it can help us achieve a perfect clearance, it is not a necessary condition for clearance. There is no reason to take such a big risk for this. Captain Xiao, I don’t think you would choose this either.”
Su Jin was very calm. Although the reward was great, the cost-effectiveness was too low to be worth it.
Hearing this, Shen Qingqiu calmed down, realizing his overreaction. He glanced at Xiao Muyu, feeling embarrassed.
Xiao Muyu almost laughed. “Look at you. Even Su Jin understands, why are you so confused?”
Su Jin glanced at Shen Qingqiu and then exchanged a look with Zuo Tiantian, both laughing in unison. “This is what happens when you’re concerned.”
Xiao Muyu’s ears turned red from their teasing. She didn’t look at Shen Qingqiu and busied herself with packing.
Shen Qingqiu glared at them. “You’re getting bold, daring to mock me? Get ready to cook.”
Su Jin stuck out her tongue playfully as she walked away, saying, “Captain Xiao, Vice Captain has a picky mouth. Should you cook separately for her? She always complains about what we make.”
By this time, Xiao Muyu had already suppressed any shyness. She glanced at Shen Qingqiu, who was smiling at her, and said lightly, “That’s because she isn’t hungry. If she were, she’d eat anything. When there’s nothing left to eat, she can’t afford to be picky.”
Shen Qingqiu pouted at her words, his peach blossom eyes filled with grievance, looking at Xiao Muyu like a bullied wife.
Xiao Muyu, feeling both exasperated and amused, turned away slowly. “Looking at me like that won’t change anything.”
Shen Qingqiu only wanted to tease her and didn’t really expect her to cook anything special.
However, when it was time to eat and Shen Qingqiu saw the spaghetti and a small steak in front of him, he smiled. This person always had a tough mouth.
“Before, outside, I was thinking of having a meal with steak, spaghetti, and wine. In the end, it got downgraded to chicken steak, cold noodles, and beer in the game.” Shen Qingqiu said, looking at Xiao Muyu.
Xiao Muyu sat upright, ignoring him, and said coldly, “Don’t talk while eating or sleeping.” This made Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian laugh on the side.
Shen Qingqiu smiled and took a bite of the steak, feeling delighted.
Now, beef was quite a luxury. This was collected by Xiao Muyu from a store before.
It was specially cooked to Shen Qingqiu’s taste, seven-tenths done, and the taste and texture were top-notch.
Shen Qingqiu, with his picky taste, was satisfied, not to mention the others.
After eating, Shen Qingqiu sat aside, wiping his dagger. Looking outside, after so many days, it finally rained.
The sky was gray, and the rain drizzled down. The streets were not quiet; groups of zombies wandered aimlessly in the rain, occasionally howling, hoping to find fresh flesh.
Unfortunately, after so many days, people here had either left or were forced to come out for food and eventually became one of those zombies.
Encountering a hungry horde of zombies, the eaten ones were reduced to bones, scattered on the ground in a horrifying sight.
To stay hidden, Xiao Muyu and her team only cleared the zombies in the stairwells, leaving those on the street to avoid attracting attention.
Every day after meals, the five of them took turns to keep watch on the nearby high ground to ensure they could react in time if anyone approached.
On the eighth day, before they had lunch, Chen Kaijie activated the “Harmonious Family” card and said urgently, “Captain Xiao, at three o’clock, on the street nine hundred meters away, a group of people is approaching with dogs!”
Xiao Muyu’s expression changed slightly. “Don’t panic, keep watching and report any movement. Su Jin, Xiao Zuo, inform Lin Jian to pack up, we’re preparing to retreat.”
“What about those experimental instruments?” Su Jin wasn’t sure if they should give up looking for the antibody now, unsure what to do with those hard-found items.
“Move them to the abandoned warehouse in the east. There are many discarded materials there; they won’t find them.”
Xiao Muyu decisively said, “The important thing now is food; take what we can.”
These were not the most troublesome; the most troublesome was the zombie. The secret mission to find the antiviral serum was optional, but if they entered hell mode now, who knows what would happen.
In eight days, not only had the zombies mutated, but animals had also started mutating. Shen Qingqiu didn’t dare to face them directly.
“Old method, tie them up and take them away.” Shen Qingqiu said, taking Zuo Tiantian’s red rope and Su Jin’s cotton cloth, heading to where the zombie was kept.
“Captain Xiao, they’re only six hundred meters away, getting closer.” Chen Kaijie was very nervous. The other party was clearly prepared, avoiding zombies and approaching stealthily. If they got any closer, they might be discovered.
“We’ll leave through the west gate. If they do discover us, retreat immediately; we’re still packing.” Xiao Muyu said, following Shen Qingqiu into the zombie’s room.
Due to Xiao Muyu’s instructions, they rarely entered this room. Previously, Lin Jian took some samples for research, all with Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu together.
This female zombie was in poor mental condition, seemingly inactive since being captured.
As soon as the door opened, she turned her head, pulling the chains noisily, then angrily yanked at them. Her mouth, being gagged, could only make low growling sounds.
At this moment, Chen Kaijie’s voice came again, “Captain Xiao, they seem to have found something, moving faster. Several people in uniform, all armed.”
“And a few don’t look like NPCs; one of them is Jiang Han, that Jiang Wei’s teammate.”
“Unchanged nature.” Shen Qingqiu gritted his teeth, eyes dark.
“No time, move.”
Shen Qingqiu activated the red rope, tightly binding the zombie, wrapping the cotton cloth layer by layer. As he tied the knot at the back, Xiao Muyu suddenly stopped, staring at the zombie’s clavicle area.
“What’s wrong?” Shen Qingqiu, seeing her strange expression, asked puzzled.
Xiao Muyu pressed down on the zombie, who struggled violently, hitting her head hard but being restrained by the chains.
Under her hand was a stiff touch, with no movement. She thought she saw it move but pressing hard again, there was no change.
“Captain Xiao, they’re at the factory gate, hurry!”
They couldn’t harm NPCs, and with players present, if they teamed up, it would be very passive for them.
“Let’s go.” Xiao Muyu looked at the zombie tied like a dumpling, wrapped another layer of chains around it, and then Shen Qingqiu carried it on her back, quickly heading out.
Zuo Tiantian, Su Jin, and Lin Jian had packed everything. The group quietly moved towards the west gate.
At this moment, Shen Qingqiu noticed a black shadow ten meters away. Her face turned cold, she picked up a piece of scrap metal and threw it with a swoosh. The man holding a screen saw a black object approaching rapidly, and with a clang, the screen went black.
“Move!”
Intense gunfire erupted, bullets flying, hitting the ground and metal racks, sparking.
“Go, Chen Kaijie!” Shen Qingqiu was furious. She had never felt so suffocated, unable to kill a group of NPCs, forced to run.
“Muyu, you go ahead.” Shen Qingqiu, carrying the zombie on her back, shielded Xiao Muyu.
Amidst the hail of bullets, two stray shots hit the female zombie. Her body was tougher than ordinary people, bullets couldn’t penetrate, a natural bulletproof vest.
Xiao Muyu, initially anxious, didn’t know whether to laugh or stay tense seeing this.
“Be careful the cotton doesn’t get shot off.” Xiao Muyu quickly reminded.
“There’s the chain, I know.” With a human-shaped bulletproof vest, they reached the parked vehicle without any danger.
After removing the tarp and clutter and securing their belongings, Shen Qingqiu threw the zombie into the back seat. Xiao Muyu sat in the passenger seat, watching it. The car plowed through the shanties and sped onto the road.
Chen Kaijie drove a car with Lin Jian, Zuo Tiantian, and Su Jin, following closely behind Shen Qingqiu in a breakneck chase.
The disturbed zombies swarmed toward them, but at over a hundred miles per hour, they were knocked away like ping-pong balls, shattering the windshield. Fortunately, they were in a Jeep, sturdy and reliable for breaking through.
Xiao Muyu, struggling to stay seated, kept glancing at the zombie in the back seat. It bounced around like a mummy due to the bumps in the road.
At another intersection, the zombie bounced again. Xiao Muyu noticed a rusty stain seeping through the white cloth on its chest. Her mind flashed back to the day they caught the zombie, remembering the wound on its neck, which wasn’t from a gun, and the missing baby, and the strange movement she had noticed just before taking the zombie away.
A chill ran down her spine, her heart clenched. She opened her mouth to call Shen Qingqiu’s name, but a shadow moved faster than her words, leaping from the zombie in the back toward the driving Shen Qingqiu.
Chen Kaijie saw Shen Qingqiu’s car suddenly veer left, then sharply right, finally crashing into a zombie that had jumped from the second floor, coming to a halt.
Alarmed, Chen Kaijie quickly stopped his car and shouted, “Captain Xiao, Vice Captain!”
No one answered. The only response was the sound of Shen Qingqiu kicking open the car door. Chen Kaijie saw something pale and dark scramble out of the car and onto the roof.
A knife shot out, pinning the thing down, even piercing through the car.
The thing struggled, and Chen Kaijie finally saw it clearly—a zombie baby, with a round, pale face, flesh peeled back, large, dead white eyes, and a mouth full of sharp teeth, glaring at them and hissing.
Chen Kaijie shuddered, his voice trembling, “That’s… that’s the zombie’s child, how…”
Shen Qingqiu’s light gray eyes were now completely red. She stared at the struggling baby zombie, looking like she wanted to tear it apart.
Shen Qingqiu’s state made Chen Kaijie, Su Jin, and Zuo Tiantian all feel a chill in their hearts.
Xiao Muyu got out of the car, making them all turn pale.
Su Jin’s face went white, staring at the blood dripping from Xiao Muyu’s right hand, realizing the worst had happened to her.
Shen Qingqiu took the cleaver from Xiao Muyu’s hand, ignoring the female zombie’s frantic banging against the car, and chopped off the baby zombie’s head with one strike.
She swung so hard she even cut through the car roof. Throwing the knife aside, Shen Qingqiu desperately grabbed Xiao Muyu’s hand, tearing off her clothes to tightly bind the wound near her heart, her voice hoarse and trembling.
“Little Zuo, get the first aid kit, quickly!”
Zuo Tiantian, trembling, rushed to get the first aid kit. Shen Qingqiu ignored whatever Xiao Muyu was trying to say, pressing her down and grabbing her right hand.
Shen Qingqiu’s knife was special. As an S-class weapon, it could be reset as long as it wasn’t damaged.
After resetting the knife, Shen Qingqiu pressed it against Xiao Muyu’s wrist, her hand shaking as she looked at the row of bloody bite marks.
Xiao Muyu didn’t resist, even though she was about to have her flesh cut. She let Shen Qingqiu hold her right hand, using her free left hand to gently pat her back.
“I can bear it.”
Shen Qingqiu closed her eyes tightly and cut without hesitation.
Xiao Muyu’s body convulsed uncontrollably, alcohol was poured over the wound, and she bit down on her clothes, moaning.
Shen Qingqiu, decisive while cutting, now couldn’t hold the knife, her body trembling more than Xiao Muyu’s. She never thought she’d have to hurt Xiao Muyu.
Letting the blood flow for a moment, Shen Qingqiu finally bandaged the wound.
Knowing these measures were pointless after being bitten, Shen Qingqiu still did it, and Xiao Muyu didn’t complain, nor did Lin Jian, an outsider.
The five of them stood around Xiao Muyu, their expressions sad and fearful. No one could imagine the consequences of Xiao Muyu being infected; losing her would be like losing a part of themselves.
“Last time, nothing happened. This time we acted quickly, and Captain Xiao’s physique is special. Since she wasn’t infected before, she won’t be this time either. Dr. Lin, isn’t that right?” Su Jin said, trying to be optimistic.
Lin Jian, pale, forced a smile, “Yes, maybe Miss Xiao will develop new antibodies, turning misfortune into a blessing.”
Xiao Muyu, looking at Shen Qingqiu who held her tightly, felt powerless for the first time.
She didn’t know what to say to stop Shen Qingqiu from panicking, or what Shen Qingqiu would do if she turned.
The pain from the wound had subsided, but she felt an itching sensation, like an ant crawling into the wound, accompanied by gnawing pain.
Feeling increasingly anxious, this waiting was unbearable.
“Those people might catch up. We need to leave now,” Xiao Muyu finally broke the silence, pulling Shen Qingqiu.
Shen Qingqiu’s face was as pale as paper. She gritted her teeth and said, “Let them come. I’ll kill them.”
If they hadn’t chased, they wouldn’t have moved the zombie. If she wasn’t driving, she could have reacted faster when the baby zombie attacked, and Xiao Muyu wouldn’t have had to reach out and get bitten. Xiao Muyu tugged at her and then looked at Su Jin, enduring the discomfort. “Su Jin, tie me up.”
Shen Qingqiu reacted as if struck, losing control, “Tie you up? Why? Who dares to tie you! You’re still fine, no symptoms yet, why tie you?”
She was like an angry leopard, exuding fury and impatience. Xiao Muyu, with a bitter and helpless expression, softly said, “Qingqiu, please listen to me.”
Tears welled up in Shen Qingqiu’s eyes. She wiped her face and choked, “I’m not disobedient, you’re the one who’s not listening. Who told you to reach out, to block it… what do you want me to do?”
Overwhelmed with emotion, Shen Qingqiu looked frightening, but her gaze was full of heartache and sorrow when looking at Xiao Muyu, making her heart ache.
“My mind is still clear, a good sign, right? Normal people turn almost immediately. But I feel the wound itching, something’s wrong. I don’t know if I’ll turn, but if I lose control and hurt you, there’s no hope. You understand, right?”
She didn’t scold Shen Qingqiu, just gently coaxed her like a child.
Shen Qingqiu couldn’t stand it. Choking up, she said, “If you turn, I won’t tie you. You can bite or scratch me. We’ll sit together, you won’t hurt them.”
Xiao Muyu, both angry and amused, couldn’t bear seeing her usually proud and mischievous self like this. She glanced at Su Jin and the others, her eyes reassuring them.
Turning back, Xiao Muyu stroked Shen Qingqiu’s face, “Such foolish words. This happened before, remember? I recovered the first time. But do you remember me telling you about Tian Jia’s scratch, leading to her turning?”
Shen Qingqiu nodded, “I remember.”
“I suspect I scratched her,” Xiao Muyu said slowly.
Shen Qingqiu was stunned, eyes widening slightly. Xiao Muyu continued, “I know you weren’t joking earlier. Reaching out was instinctive, but I’m glad I did. If I hurt you, I’d have to join you in death.”
“Nonsense,” Shen Qingqiu’s face flushed, feeling both sour and happy.
Hearing Xiao Muyu speak so openly about their relationship in public was rare.
“I might not turn. Even if I do, I might not become a zombie. But if I bite you, you’ll become the next Tian Jia, and I’d have to join you. Wouldn’t that be unfair?”
Shen Qingqiu finally smiled, following Xiao Muyu’s instructions to fasten her seatbelt and tie her to the passenger seat with a white cloth.
Xiao Muyu didn’t let Shen Qingqiu do it, fearing she’d be too gentle. Chen Kaijie gritted his teeth and tied her tightly, especially her hands and upper body.
The zombie in the back was further secured, and the two cars quickly got back on the road.
It was torturous, clinging to a bit of hope, knowing the likely outcome was bad, an agony to endure.
All the way, Shen Qingqiu kept checking on Xiao Muyu, asking the same questions repeatedly.
In Xiao Muyu’s answers, she sought hopeful words to comfort herself, but the symptoms constantly reminded her of the grim reality, driving her mad.
They finally lost their pursuers, heading north to the outskirts, where danger meant safety. The north suburb was the stronghold of Norovirus Biopharmaceuticals, so they approached cautiously.
The northern suburbs, G City’s industrial area, had many industrial parks, factories, and warehouses, making it a good hiding place. The zombies had long been gone, and the humans were hiding too.
To find them, they’d have to search the warehouses and shantytowns one by one.
Luckily, Xiao Muyu was still holding on, showing no signs of turning.
She felt her head ache more, hearing buzzing in her ears, yet her mind stayed clear, contradicting her physical discomfort.
Maybe she’d hold on until they found shelter. She had a feeling they’d discover a solution.
Suddenly, a black shadow rushed out of the warehouse door in front of them.
Shen Qingqiu slammed on the brakes, making everyone in the car jolt forward.
Xiao Muyu squinted, her eyes gradually focusing. The shadow was a person—an Asian man, about twenty-four, average height, messy hair, in worn-out jeans, and a gray hoodie, covered in blood, both human and zombie.
Before they could react, another figure emerged from the warehouse—Chen Ming.
Shen Qingqiu was stunned. This reunion was unexpected, overwhelming, and heart-wrenching.
Xiao Muyu had not completely transformed. Instead, she was chained to a metal rod by her waist. Her fingernails had not grown significantly longer, but they were tinged with a bluish-white hue and wrapped in cloth.
She sat on the ground, lethargic, while Shen Qingqiu wiped her sweat and fed her water, but she hardly moved.
At night, the clinking of the chain made everyone’s hearts tighten. Xiao Muyu grew restless, struggling to tear at the cloth binding her hands. When she saw Chen Kaijie and the others, her eyes, now completely red, glared at them like a wild beast, even growling at them.
Her voice hadn’t devolved into the coarse screams typical of zombies, but it was already intimidating them.
Shen Qingqiu stared at Xiao Muyu, her gray eyes showing emotions that no one could understand. It wasn’t sadness but a calmness that was almost frightening.
Su Jin, worried, called out, “Vice Captain?”
“You all go out. I’ll stay with her. The system hasn’t announced her elimination; she’s still here. She’ll get better,” Shen Qingqiu said, her tone remarkably calm. After all, how much worse could things get?
Reluctantly, the others left one by one. Xiao Muyu growled a few more times, then fixated on the one person who refused to leave.
The scent from Shen Qingqiu’s body continuously tempted her. Her teeth ached with the urge to bite, yet she didn’t want to harm her, which made Xiao Muyu feel incredibly agitated.
She bared her teeth at Shen Qingqiu, but instead of retreating, Shen Qingqiu stepped closer. This surprised Xiao Muyu, freezing her fierce expression.
To Shen Qingqiu, what had seemed terrifying now looked somewhat endearing.
Then she noticed Xiao Muyu stepping back a few paces, growling again to warn her not to come closer, turning her head away to avoid looking at her.
This small gesture rekindled hope in Shen Qingqiu’s heart. Xiao Muyu was still conscious. She could see that Xiao Muyu didn’t want to harm her.
“She doesn’t want to eat me,” Shen Qingqiu thought with relief.
Author’s Note:
Ah, I miscalculated. Still not finished. The scene expanded, and the writing got verbose. Today is a double update. I promise to conclude tomorrow!
Zombie girl: You guys are really the worst.
Little Shen: She doesn’t want to eat me. That’s wonderful.
Little Xiao: Actually, I really do want to eat you. Completely and utterly.
