Get password here. Click me!(KO-FI)
The bald man’s shattered remains were splattered across the hallway.
The corridor was now unusable, so Chu Muge and the others moved to the living room to regroup.
Dusting herself off, Chu Muge gestured for Gu Yao to follow her and sat on the sofa.
The young man, standing nearby, glanced at her cat ears and swallowed nervously. “Thanks, really.”
Chu Muge didn’t reply immediately. Instead, she noticed a small bloodstain on Gu Yao’s clothes and frowned. Casually, she said, “No need.”
“Oh, by the way, my name’s Bai Caixie,” the young man offered. Beside him, the short-haired girl, busy inspecting his broken arm, added, “And I’m Bai Caiwei.”
Caixie and Caiwei, a pair of siblings.
Oh, wait.
Chu Muge suddenly remembered.
She squinted at the bruised and battered young man, then at the short-haired girl.
Weren’t they the siblings from that family photo earlier?
Chu Muge gave them a brief glance. “Chu Muge,” she said, then paused and turned to Gu Yao with a smile. “This is Gu Yao.”
“She’s... a zombie, isn’t she?” Bai Caixie suddenly asked.
Gu Yao made no effort to hide her eyes. Under the light, her pale gray pupils were unmistakable.
“What’s the problem?” Chu Muge raised an eyebrow.
“N-no problem! It’s just... amazing! A zombie that doesn’t attack people!” Bai Caixie’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Gu Yao. “Is she like the heroine in Warm Bodies? You know, a zombie who retains memory and reason?”
Chu Muge chuckled, wrapping an arm around Gu Yao’s waist.
Gu Yao glanced at her but didn’t resist.
“No,” Chu Muge replied calmly. “It’s a bit different. She was a zombie first, then she gained her reasoning. But she doesn’t have any memories of her past.”
Gu Yao tilted her head, pondering for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
That actually made sense.
Pulling out a sticky note, she scribbled down two large characters and handed it to the siblings.
The young man took it. The note bore the unevenly written words: [Gu Yao]
Not only were they unafraid of zombies, but the siblings were clearly fascinated.
The short-haired girl, staring at Gu Yao as if she were a rare panda, hesitated before asking Chu Muge, “Um, can I touch her?”
“No.” Chu Muge shook her head firmly and took Gu Yao’s hand. “She still carries the zombie virus. If you get cut, it’s over. Besides...”
Chu Muge paused briefly. “She’s my girlfriend.”
The room fell silent for a moment.
Bai Caixie’s expression turned strange as he stammered, “So, uh, you adopted a zombie... and made her your partner?”
Chu Muge raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with that?”
“N-nothing,” Bai Caixie quickly shook his head.
He respected all kinds of love.
It was just... a lot to take in. Lesbian love was one thing, but dating a zombie?
At that moment, the zombie dog trotted in.
Now, this was what a zombie should look like: a decaying body, cloudy white eyes, and bloodied teeth.
Even though the bald man had been blown to bits, he was still highly nutritious for Gu Yao.
Previously, when the zombie dog devoured a superhuman, it had turned into a walking cannon. Gu Yao had been eager to capitalize on this benefit, so naturally, she was ready to send the dog for another meal.
Meanwhile, the short-haired girl cautiously supported her brother, inspecting his bandaged arm. “Are you okay? Does it still hurt?”
It definitely hurt.
The young man nodded, then shook his head.
At this moment, Chu Muge broke the silence. “How long have you been held here?”
The question made the girl’s expression darken briefly. After a long pause, she spoke hesitantly, “Not that long...”
“We were a family of four, heading to Xinjialuo...” Her voice trailed off. “Then... then they appeared... and our parents...”
Her voice broke.
The young man looked equally somber.
Finally, he took over. “They killed our parents and captured us.”
The short-haired girl’s eyes reddened.
Chu Muge wasn’t good at comforting others. After a moment’s thought, she said, “We’re also heading to Xinjialuo. You can come with us for now.”
Gu Yao glanced at her.
Chu Muge was a woman of many faces. Ruthless against her enemies, but remarkably patient and gentle with those she deemed worthy of her help.
Bai Caixie blinked, then his eyes lit up. “R-really? You’d let us join you?”
Caution was wise, but the siblings were at a loss for what to do next. Traveling with someone who appeared reliable seemed like a good idea.
After all, if Chu Muge had malicious intentions, she could have acted on them long ago.
Chu Muge nodded, her gaze sweeping across the room. “Is there a place to bathe here?” she asked.
A cat-like penchant for cleanliness made her increasingly uncomfortable in her current state.
In the post-apocalyptic world, such habits could be considered a luxury. But Chu Muge had every reason to indulge. After all, who could resist the comfort of a hot bath?
Bai Caixie thought for a moment before responding, “There is.”
The short-haired girl nodded in agreement. “Yeah, when we were looking for scissors and wires earlier, we saw a bathroom.”
She pointed to the ceiling. “Upstairs.”
Chu Muge nodded and rose from her seat. “Got it. But before that, I need you to help me with something. How about it?”
Bai Caixie hesitated. “What kind of help?”
“Nothing too serious. Just moving some things.”
Chu Muge beckoned the siblings and led them to the off-road vehicle.
The car was loaded with supplies, but the barricade of abandoned vehicles blocking the road ahead forced them to transfer everything to a new ride.
“Here, take this,” Chu Muge handed a bag filled with beef jerky to Gu Yao, smiling. “Alright, that should do it.”
Bai Caixie, clutching a metal canister with his injured arm, was left speechless.
Even as an injured man, he was hauling heavier loads than the zombie Chu Muge treated like royalty.
But what could he do? Favoritism was a thing.
After several trips, Gu Yao remained the most leisurely of the group.
Perhaps her diminishing grasp of human norms made her indifferent. Watching the bruised Bai Caixie struggle with the supplies, she observed him with curiosity and indifference, as though watching an animal. There wasn’t a trace of embarrassment for not pulling her weight.
By the time the off-road vehicle was unloaded, night had fully fallen. The pitch-black darkness outside was illuminated by moonlight, casting a cold glow over the pile of mangled corpses.
The supplies were moved into the living room, and Chu Muge retrieved clean clothes. Taking Gu Yao by the hand, she led her upstairs for a bath.
The bathroom on the second floor offered the luxury of steaming hot water, a rare treat in the apocalypse.
When Chu Muge finished bathing, her fair skin was flushed and radiating warmth, catching Gu Yao’s attention.
Gu Yao stared at her intently, a hint of desire in her gaze, making Chu Muge’s cheeks tinge red.
It was awkward being scrutinized so seriously while standing bare.
“Senior... what’s wrong?” Chu Muge stammered.
Gu Yao shook her head and stepped closer, her movements sending her... assets into a gentle sway that left Chu Muge momentarily dazed.
In the next moment, Gu Yao leaned in. The touch of their bare skin sent a shiver down Chu Muge’s spine. Gu Yao opened her mouth and lightly bit Chu Muge’s shoulder.
She smelled so good, too tempting to resist.
Gu Yao: Nom nom. -q-
Her utter lack of shame was almost endearing.
Chu Muge froze for a second before letting out a soft chuckle. She reached out to stroke Gu Yao’s damp hair.
Once they dried off and dressed, Chu Muge stepped out to dry Gu Yao’s hair.
Gu Yao sat quietly, perfectly still, like a student paying rapt attention in class. She allowed Chu Muge to fuss over her without resistance.
Perhaps it was this obedient demeanor that tugged at Chu Muge’s heartstrings. After finishing, Chu Muge patted Gu Yao’s head, then wrapped her arms around Gu Yao’s waist from behind, planting a kiss on her cheek.
Gu Yao glanced back at her, her gaze calm and indifferent.