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Chapter 1: On the Road

 

A crow with ashen gray eyes clutched a shriveled finger in its beak and landed in the middle of the road, ready to swallow it.

 

The ground rumbled.

 

Before the crow could react, a roaring off-road vehicle sped by, sending it flying. All that remained were a few black feathers floating lazily to the ground.

 

From the speeding vehicle, a song played:

 

"Go on and love it if you like it, yeah."

 

"'Hail hail It's your business, if you want some, take some."

 

The inside of the car was filled with a festive atmosphere, like a party on wheels. The speakers blared cheerful music, and Chu Muge hummed along, her hand on the steering wheel as her body swayed to the beat: "Come and get your love~"

 

“Oh! I love this song,” Chu Muge said quickly. “‘Come And Get Your Love,’ from *Guardians of the Galaxy*.”

 

Gu Yao glanced at her briefly, then continued flipping through her dictionary.

 

In the back seat, a zombie dog was slumped, its head drooping as if dozing off.

 

The road to Xinjialuo wasn’t a straight path, but for now, it was clear enough that Chu Muge only needed to keep her foot on the gas. She had no idea she had just run over a zombie crow.

 

“I used to only listen to instrumental music, then I got into English songs. Now I listen to Chinese ones too,” Chu Muge continued, not sure if she was talking to herself or to Gu Yao. “But I mostly listen to Jay Chou. His songs are awesome to play on guitar.”

 

She blinked and asked, "Senior, do you like him?"

 

Gu Yao thought for a moment and then nodded.

 

Chu Muge had played pretty well in the small karaoke booth before. Unfortunately, she hadn’t brought her guitar along this time.

 

“No worries, I can play for you next time,” Chu Muge said casually, as if guessing Gu Yao’s thoughts. “I can sing, too.”

 

She sounded so proud of herself.

 

Gu Yao opened her mouth and let out a few coughing sounds.

 

Gu Yao: …  

When will I be able to talk?  

Or rather... how can I start talking?  

No idea. It’s frustrating.

 

“Actually, I started learning Chinese songs because of you,” Chu Muge said, her eyes fixed on the road ahead. “You once mentioned that you liked listening to Chinese songs, especially Jay Chou.”

 

Gu Yao nodded again.

 

Oh, it seems the original Gu Yao had good taste, sharing the same preferences.

 

“So, I practiced just for you, planning to play on your birthday,” Chu Muge chuckled awkwardly. “But… you didn’t show up that day.”

 

Her tone was casual, but Gu Yao noticed how her hands slightly tightened around the steering wheel, knowing that it must have hurt Chu Muge deeply.

 

Gu Yao thought for a moment and patted her on the shoulder.  

Poor thing.

 

“No, no, it’s fine, really,” Chu Muge shook her head when she saw Gu Yao trying to comfort her. “You made it up to me afterward anyway. It’s just... I didn’t bring my guitar that day.”

 

On Chu Muge's birthday, she had confidently declared that Gu Yao would come, but when she didn’t, Chu Muge was mercilessly teased.

 

A few days later, just when she was feeling down, Gu Yao suddenly showed up, hurriedly giving her a small cake.

 

Though small, that cake tasted better than any large one she’d ever had.

 

There was a strange emotion in Chu Muge's eyes.  

 

“That’s why I sometimes think you don’t really feel like a senior. Actually, most of the time…”

 

Sometimes Gu Yao treated her well, and other times she ignored her, acting like a stranger.

 

Chu Muge wasn’t stupid. She had even wondered if Gu Yao was deliberately toying with her.

 

But it didn’t matter—Gu Yao was like a ray of light that pierced through her defenses and reached her heart. Even if Chu Muge wanted to forget, she couldn’t.

 

Luckily, that familiar feeling had returned.

 

It made her feel safe, comfortable, like she could live this way forever.

 

Chu Muge couldn’t help herself. Her long lashes fluttered as she said softly to Gu Yao.

 

“Please… don’t leave me, okay?”

 

---

 

Night fell.

 

A cool breeze brushed by.

 

The off-road vehicle was parked in the middle of the road, surrounded by emptiness, as if they had entered the wilderness.

 

The mist had cleared, revealing a bright moon in the sky, like a single speck of light on a dark canvas, standing out sharply.

 

So hungry...

 

That indescribable hunger surged again, gnawing at Gu Yao’s insides. She trembled uncontrollably in the darkness, her gaze instinctively locking onto Chu Muge, who sat in the driver's seat with her eyes closed.

 

At that moment, Gu Yao felt a deep, primal urge from the core of her being:  

 

To eat.

 

Her body was screaming at her:  

 

If you want to evolve, you need to eat.

 

It was like a teenager going through a growth spurt, desperately needing nutrition. But Gu Yao wasn’t getting enough, her body was on the verge of starvation.

 

Instinct overpowered reason. Gu Yao couldn’t hold back any longer. Trembling, she lunged toward Chu Muge with her mouth open.

 

Chu Muge, who had trusted her completely and was utterly defenseless, didn’t stir until Gu Yao grabbed her arm. Her eyes fluttered open, confused as she looked at Gu Yao.

 

“Senior...?”

 

Gu Yao stared at Chu Muge's pale neck, her mouth slightly open. But in the end, she clenched her hand, closed her mouth, and let go of Chu Muge, collapsing back into the front seat.

 

Seeing Gu Yao’s strange behavior, Chu Muge hesitated, then asked cautiously, “Senior, are you okay?”

 

Her concern only made Gu Yao feel even more upset. She opened her mouth wide, pointing to it with one finger, looking utterly pitiful.

 

Gu Yao: I’m starving! I need to eat!

 

The sadness in her expression was almost overwhelming.

 

Chu Muge hesitated for a moment, then rolled up her loose sleeve, revealing her pale arm and extended it toward Gu Yao:  

“I’m sorry, Senior... if you’re that hungry, you can bite me for now. Tomorrow morning, we’ll find something for you to eat, or maybe we can hunt some monsters. I’ll help you prepare it...”

 

Gu Yao glanced at the arm Chu Muge offered.  

This time it was her right arm. The left one still had a scar from the last bite. What, was she aiming for symmetry now?

 

Gu Yao let out a bitter laugh inside and, with great effort, tore her gaze away from the tempting sight of that "delicious" arm. Closing her eyes, she forced herself to calm down.

 

In the darkness, Chu Muge’s cat-like eyes flickered, watching Gu Yao, who sat silently beside her. Chu Muge bit her lip.

 

Zombies didn’t need sleep, and Gu Yao couldn’t fall asleep even if she tried. In the pitch-black car, she heard Chu Muge’s soft, guilty voice:  

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

There was really nothing for her to apologize for.

 

Gu Yao, although sulking, didn’t blame her.

 

Zombies seemed to absorb nutrients and genes from flesh, making their bodies stronger. For some reason, zombies had an instinctive craving for human flesh.

 

To evolve, they needed to consume meat, cores, and perhaps even humans themselves.

 

Chu Muge’s apology carried two meanings.

 

The first was guilt for letting Gu Yao go hungry. She would try to find a way to help, even if it meant hunting monsters.

 

The second was a firm refusal to let Gu Yao eat people. Even if Gu Yao wanted to, Chu Muge would stop her, without question.

 

It was like loving a pet dog but never wanting it to eat like a stray.

 

It might sound harsh, but Chu Muge didn’t think of Gu Yao as a pet.

 

They understood each other well, and from that single apology, Gu Yao picked up on both meanings.

 

No apology was needed.

 

Gu Yao had her mind, and she understood Chu Muge’s thoughts.

 

After all, she had no desire to eat people, so she could accept things as they were.

 

---

 

Night.

 

Silence returned to the inside of the off-road vehicle.

 

Chu Muge glanced at the sleeping Gu Yao before shifting her gaze outside to the stars twinkling in the sky.

 

The galaxy sparkled brightly. In the still, quiet night, their off-road vehicle sat in the middle of a dark, expansive road, parked beneath the dazzling stars—a peaceful, cozy home for Chu Muge and Gu Yao.

 

Unable to sleep, Chu Muge turned on the car’s dim interior light, filling the vehicle with a soft orange glow.

 

In the dark world outside, their vehicle felt like a tiny flame, a campfire in the depths of the forest, resting in the center of the road—a small, safe haven just for the two of them.