Chapter 17: Xiao Zhi Has Been Wearing These Clothes for Two Days
As soon as Shen Qing returned from his mission, he hurried over to check on Pei Zhi and the little zombie. Seeing that both were safe and sound, his eyes immediately welled with red, his voice thick with emotion. “Boss, I thought I’d never see you again! I honestly believed you’d been torn apart by those corpses, and I was even terrified this little creature might have ended up with a piece of you in his mouth.”
Pei Zhi was in an unusually good mood. He cracked a dry, rare joke: “Wish me better than that.”
He was currently bent over a basin, washing clothes for the little zombie. It was the blue-and-white tracksuit with the cheerful little sun print they had scavenged from the supermarket plaza—it gave the boy a youthful, remarkably endearing look.
Electricity was scarce across the settlement; aside from essential security lighting and backup hospital wards, domestic power was tightly rationed.
Doing laundry meant scrubbing by hand. Pei Zhi wrung out the damp fabric, hung each piece carefully onto wooden hangers, and smoothed the wrinkles flat with his broad palms.
Shen Qing’s jaw dropped in sheer disbelief. “Boss, are you… washing clothes for that little zombie? Am I losing my mind?”
Pei Zhi answered evenly, “You’re not losing your mind. Xiao Zhi has been wearing these clothes for two days straight.”
“It’s only been two days! Who on earth cares about that in the middle of an apocalypse? Boss, since when did you turn into such a clean freak?”
In the past, whenever they went out on long scavenging runs, getting run ragged by hordes and camping in the dirt, taking a bath once a week and wearing the same grime-caked fatigues for ten days was standard procedure.
Shen Qing propped his chin in his hand, rubbing the stubble thoughtfully. “Boss, do you have any idea what you look like right now?”
Pei Zhi didn’t bother looking up, casually rinsing a mop in the leftover gray wash water.
Shen Qing supplied his own answer with a grin: “Like a devoted stay-at-home dad fussing over a toddler!”
Pei Zhi’s brow furrowed slightly. “A toddler? Who are you calling a child?”
Shen Qing gestured with his chin toward the courtyard flowerbed, where the little zombie sat contently on the stone border. “Him, of course. You’re practically raising him like your own kid.”
Pei Zhi flatly rejected the comparison. “The math doesn’t work. I’m barely ten years older than him; at most, I’m an older brother.”
Shen Qing burst into laughter. “Right, right, whatever you say, Boss.”
Pausing, he cast a wary glance toward the armed guards stationed outside the front gate and leaned in close, dropping his voice to a whisper. “Boss, did the Leader send those men at the gate?”
“Mm.”
Pei Zhi picked up a pair of Jiang Xiaozhi’s small white socks, rubbed soap across the soles, and scrubbed them clean.
Worry crept into Shen Qing’s eyes. “Will the Leader really let a zombie stay inside the base long-term?”
He hesitated, then suggested, “Why don’t we just tell the Leader about his healing ability? The Leader is a reasonable man.”
Pei Zhi’s features hardened into a solemn mask as he held firm to his decision. “Not a word.”
There were too many people inside these walls. Even if Xie Huaijin harbored no dark intentions toward the miraculous power Jiang Xiaozhi possessed, that wouldn’t stop ambitious factions from trying to exploit him.
He refused to put the boy in harm’s way.
Securing the clean white socks onto the line with two wooden clips, Pei Zhi turned his gaze toward the little zombie playing alone on the flagstones.
The boy had somehow gathered a handful of colorful glass marbles, arranging them in a neat row across the porch steps. Mumbling quiet, unintelligible undead chirps under his breath, he chattered away to himself for a bit before pulling out his small decorated box to tuck the marbles away one by one.
Shen Qing watched from the side and sighed softly. “True enough. The little guy is simple and harmless; he shouldn’t be thrown into danger just because of a rare gift. If we keep quiet, we keep quiet. Boss, I’ll back whatever you decide.”
“Still… what if the Leader puts his foot down and refuses to let him stay? What do we do then?”
Pei Zhi replied calmly, “I made a promise to his parents that I would look after him.”
Shen Qing blinked, confused. “You met his parents?”
“No. I found a letter they left behind.”
“Ah, I see. Well, Boss, I’m heading over to log my mission haul first. Want to grab a drink together tonight?”
Even with sentries stationed outside the villa and surveillance trailing their every move, Pei Zhi seemed entirely unbothered. “Sure. Come by later.”
Shen Qing snapped his fingers in excitement. “Awesome, it’s a date! I managed to harvest two energy crystals on this run, so I’ll trade one for a good bottle of liquor on my way back! I haven’t had a proper sip in nearly a month!”
With that, Shen Qing wasted no more time and headed out of the residential sector to submit his haul.
Not long after he departed, an orderly from the Base Command Center arrived at the door, summoning Pei Zhi to an audience with the Leader.
The little zombie had quickly mastered the marble-tossing game, happily flicking the glass beads across the floor for hours on end without growing bored.
Pei Zhi intended to bring him along. He had already resolved that wherever he went from now on—whether walking the base streets or heading into danger beyond the walls—the little zombie would remain by his side.
He had thought through every detail: when they fought infected hordes out in the wasteland, he could simply set the boy down safely off to the side. Other zombies wouldn’t attack him; they might even keep him entertained while waiting. Once the battle cleared, Pei Zhi could scoop him right back up.
If the boy grew hungry, Pei Zhi could simply snatch fresh meat straight from the jaws of the wild zombies to feed him. Keeping the creature close brought peace of mind and kept his belly full—hitting two birds with one stone.
“Xiao Zhi, let’s go.”
Pei Zhi held out his palm. Hearing his name called, the little zombie promptly swept his marbles into his spatial storage, hopped to his feet, and slipped his small fingers into Pei Zhi’s hand.
Feeling that icy, delicate touch in his grip, Pei Zhi couldn’t help a dry thought: Maybe I really do look like a dad taking care of a kid.
Base Command Center.
The estate was heavily secured. A squad of armed ability users in sharp combat gear stood guard outside the perimeter gates.
Pei Zhi and the boy underwent routine weapon checks and infrared thermal scans before being waved through the courtyard.
The entrance hall was a grand European-style atrium, soaring two stories high beneath an eight-meter ceiling. The walls were decorated with elegant murals reminiscent of ancient Greek architecture.
The little zombie tilted his head, peering curiously in all directions. As he looked around, an attendant in crisp uniform approached carrying a silver tray. Resting atop it was a chilled medical blood bag, accompanied by a porcelain saucer filled with diced, congealed duck blood, a small dessert fork, and a fresh garnish of lemon and mint leaves.
Seeing real food, the little zombie immediately tugged at Pei Zhi’s hem, pointing eagerly at the blood bag to show that he wanted it.
Pei Zhi said softly, “Go ahead.”
Delighted, the little zombie picked up the pouch, bit open a corner with his sharp canine tooth, and began sipping contently. Between swallows, he used the tiny fork to spear cubes of congealed blood, popping them into his mouth with quiet relish.
The attendant then offered Pei Zhi a hot cup of coffee, bowing respectfully. “Please enjoy, Captain Pei.”
Pei Zhi gave a slight nod, accepted the mug, and took a measured sip.
From the wide spiral staircase on the second floor, Xie Huaijin descended at a relaxed pace, dressed in a sleek, light gray trench coat. His handsome features were gentle, his narrow eyes carrying an easy, pleasant smile as he observed the little zombie feasting by the table.
“This is my first time hosting an undead guest,” Xie Huaijin remarked pleasantly. “It seems he approves of the hospitality.”
Pei Zhi set his coffee cup down and rose to his feet. “Leader.”
Seeing Pei Zhi stand, the little zombie quickly hopped off his chair as well, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Tilting his head at Xie Huaijin, he let out a polite, muffled “Awoo” by way of greeting.
Xie Huaijin’s smile widened with quiet amusement. Reaching the bottom of the steps, he extended an open hand. “Please, sit.”
Once the Leader took his seat, Pei Zhi rested an arm gently behind the little zombie’s waist, guiding him back onto the cushioned chair.
Xie Huaijin looked at the boy with genuine intrigue. “Jiang Xiaozhi, was it? His name is as gentle as his demeanor, and he obeys you remarkably well.”
Pei Zhi replied, “He has his stubborn moments. It took a lot of patience to teach him step by step.”
Xie Huaijin chuckled warmly. “I never would have expected you to possess such patience.”
Pei Zhi kept his face expressionless. “I made a promise to his parents.”
“I see.” Xie Huaijin smoothed the cuffs of his coat with practiced poise, his voice remaining smooth and conversational. “Pei Zhi, word reached me that the moment you returned, you took this boy directly to the quarantine ward. Shortly after your visit, several infected patients—including Lin Feng—made a miraculous recovery.”
Xie Huaijin glanced casually toward the little zombie, who was happily spearing another cube of congealed blood, and dropped his question like a stray thought:
“Did their recovery have anything to do with Jiang Xiaozhi?”
Pei Zhi set his mug back onto the saucer, lifted his eyes, and met Xie Huaijin’s gaze with absolute composure.
“No.”
The Food-hoarding Zombie Was Kidnapped by the Apocalyptic Boss
