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Chapter 11: Going Home

 

Chu Muge, holding the car keys, headed to the first floor.  

 

The lobby was covered in dust, and it seemed the man hadn’t bothered to clean it. After walking for a while, Chu Muge finally saw the iron door leading to the outdoor activity area.  

 

It was locked, but it hadn’t rusted, which meant people frequently went in and out.  

 

Chu Muge loved locked things the most; she was a master at unlocking.  

 

**Bang!**  

 

The iron door was violently kicked open, slightly bent, and groaned as it opened wide for them.  

 

She walked into the yard, glanced at the grayish-white sky, and began scanning the surroundings.  

 

The outdoor area was spacious, fenced in with iron bars. Some weeds had grown in patches, the basketball hoop was a bit worn, and even the benches had started to crack.  

 

The vehicle was parked under a makeshift shelter, its rugged body catching Chu Muge's attention.  

 

This is what a modified off-road vehicle should look like! Lu Boyuan could go die for all she cared.  

 

Excited like a child discovering a new toy, Chu Muge circled the vehicle several times before using the key to start it and open the trunk.  

 

There was even a can of gasoline inside.  

 

They were well-prepared.  

 

Like a kid with a new toy, Chu Muge got into the driver's seat, wiggled around in the seat for a bit, and then placed her hands on the steering wheel, pretending to drive, seriously turning the wheel back and forth.  

 

**Beep beep.**  

 

She looked up and made eye contact with Gu Yao, who was watching her from outside the car.  

 

Although Gu Yao's face was expressionless, Chu Muge had the feeling that those indifferent eyes were reflecting the image of an idiot.  

 

Feeling awkward, she laughed and got out of the car, quickly explaining, “I got a little excited...”  

 

The modified SUV gave a strong sense of security, especially with the row of spikes installed at the front - very impressive.  

 

“This finally feels like real survival in the apocalypse,” Chu Muge said, satisfied, her eyes sparkling. “It looks just like a zombie game I used to play.”  

 

An off-road vehicle, spikes, a fire axe...  

 

Chu Muge glanced at Gu Yao.  

 

And a beauty, though dead.  

 

All the elements were in place.  

 

She looked at the gate that connected the outdoor area to the outside world, eager: “I’ll go kick it open, and then we’ll drive out.”  

 

Gu Yao: ...  

 

Are you addicted to kicking things open or something?  

 

After Chu Muge unlocked the gate, she turned around and saw Gu Yao standing there, with two zombie dogs circling around her.  

 

Chu Muge: o_O?  

 

Sooner or later, she was going to quietly deal with those two creatures.  

 

Ten minutes later, Chu Muge had loaded dozens of cans and some medicine from the cupboards into the car. Then, she got into the driver’s seat and waved to Gu Yao:  

 

“Senior, senior, let’s go home.”  

 

Gu Yao opened the back door and got in but didn’t close it, as if she was waiting for something.  

 

Chu Muge: …?  

 

The next second, Chu Muge saw the two zombie dogs trying to climb into the car. She nearly slammed on the gas pedal in panic.  

 

Taking a deep breath, Chu Muge turned to Gu Yao, making eye contact. She spoke slowly and deliberately: “They. Can’t. Come. In.”  

 

Gu Yao looked at her calmly, not moving.  

 

The atmosphere grew tense.  

 

After a few seconds, Chu Muge was the first to give in, puffing out her cheeks. She begrudgingly turned her head back and grumbled, “You come to the front… let them stay in the back.”  

 

Gu Yao, breaking out of her statue-like state, slowly blinked, got up, walked out, let the two zombie dogs climb into the back, and then opened the front door to sit in the passenger seat.  

 

After closing the door, she turned to look at Chu Muge, who had slumped onto the steering wheel, her entire posture screaming disappointment.  

 

Noticing Gu Yao’s gaze, Chu Muge glanced over, quickly averted her eyes, and slumped even further.  

 

The catgirl had been defeated multiple times, dethroned by two mangy mutts. She was utterly downcast, feeling as if she’d lost her place. At this point, she needed someone to comfort her.  

 

Gu Yao, finding her more amusing the longer she stared, finally extended a hand, palm open, toward Chu Muge.  

 

She was offering to make peace.  

 

But Chu Muge blinked, meeting her calm gray eyes, and seemed to misunderstand the gesture.  

 

After a moment of hesitation, her face flushed slightly. She moved closer, resting her chin on Gu Yao’s open palm, her gaze drifting.  

 

Gu Yao: …OvO  

 

Her heart, which hadn’t beaten in a long time, seemed to thump heavily once again.

 

**Aaaaa! So cute!** She was completely overwhelmed by cuteness!

 

Since Gu Yao couldn't feel any emotions like embarrassment, she didn't think there was anything wrong with what she was doing. She even moved her hand a little and started gently scratching Chu Muge's chin, much like petting a cat.  

 

Chu Muge, with some feline instincts, unconsciously squinted her eyes, and her body gradually relaxed.  

 

As she relaxed, her cat ears suddenly popped out with a "poof" and began to twitch slightly on top of her head.  

 

Her eyes were half-closed, as if she'd given up on thinking. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she slowly opened her eyes wide, shifted in her seat, and sat back in the driver’s seat, her ears a bit red.  

 

“Alright, let’s go,” she said, her tone cheerful.  

 

The cat was easily coaxed—just a little attention, and all was well again.

 

---

 

They took a detour on their way back to the community.  

 

The largest zombie horde seemed to have been drawn to the market area, so Chu Muge stayed far away from it and found a relatively clear road, zigzagging east and west until they finally returned to the residential complex.  

 

The car wasn't too loud, but they still encountered quite a few zombies along the way.  

 

This was when Gu Yao’s abilities really shone. She pulled out threads and made the zombies her puppets, using them to slowly clear the small cars blocking the road.  

 

Once she was done, she would burst their heads, disposing of them, and wait for the next batch of laborers.  

 

Back at the complex, Chu Muge parked the car near Gu Yao’s house, got out, and breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the familiar buildings.  

 

Finally, they were home.

 

Her whole body felt uncomfortable, her loose clothes stained with blood, especially her feet, which had stepped on someone's head earlier—super gross.  

 

Now she could finally clean up. 

 

She had been extravagant, grabbing several sets of clothes for herself and her senior at the mall earlier, so she wasn't sad about ruining these clothes.  

 

Opening the door, she took off her black boots and squinted at the dried blood on her pale ankles.  

 

Looks like she'd have to wear mid-calf socks from now on. 

 

Chu Muge liked kicking things and stepping on things, and this sort of situation would probably happen more and more often in the future.

 

The first thing to do after coming home was to take a bath.  

 

Chu Muge was a clean cat, especially after coming back covered in blood. As soon as she entered, she grabbed Gu Yao and dragged her into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind them, leaving the two zombie dogs outside.  

 

She was getting more and more efficient at washing up, managing to stay just as clean while cutting down on time.  

 

There wasn’t much hot water left, they wouldn’t be able to wash too many more times. It seemed like they’d have to seriously start preparing to hit the road soon.  

 

That would definitely be a long journey.

 

After finishing her bath, Chu Muge opened the bathroom door, steam billowing out as she emerged feeling refreshed, even her breathing was lighter.  

 

She dried Gu Yao's hair and her own, then threw on a loose hoodie, leaving her long hair down as she walked out of the bathroom.  

 

Gu Yao glanced at her and saw her sitting at the desk in the bedroom, looking at a map. So, Gu Yao turned, opened the door, and walked out.  

 

Chu Muge heard the door close, blinked, and kept studying the map.  

 

She wasn’t worried about her senior running away or anything; letting her move around freely wasn’t a problem.

 

She was drawing circles and marking areas when,

 

Wait.  

 

The pen suddenly stopped.  

 

Weren’t there two zombie dogs still outside?  

 

Chu Muge suddenly looked up and shot to her feet.  

 

She wouldn't be petting those dogs, would she?!

 

Just imagining it made her face darken, and she immediately rushed out the door, moving like the wind as she quickly made her way downstairs.  

 

What she saw when she got there was Gu Yao kneeling on the ground, rummaging through the cabinet under the TV.

  

Good, she wasn't petting the dogs.  

 

Chu Muge let out a sigh of relief and asked, “Senior, what are you doing?”

 

Gu Yao, hearing her voice, glanced back expressionlessly before turning her attention back to the cabinet. She tore a piece of notepaper from a pad and started writing with a pen. 

 

Curious, Chu Muge walked over and watched as she moved the pen, and then Gu Yao handed her a piece of paper with the words **[Chu Muge]** written on it.  

 

Chu Muge blinked in confusion. “I’m here.”  

 

Gu Yao looked at her with a blank expression, then pointed to the notepaper.  

 

Chu Muge: (???ヘ??)  

 

Gu Yao silently stood up, raised a finger, and slowly began drawing circles in front of Chu Muge’s eyes.  

 

“Oh,” Chu Muge's eyes lit up, instantly getting what she meant. “You want to learn how to write!”

 

Gu Yao nodded.